The tale of Indie Cutter: Season 1
by Fluffypigs2
Summary: This is my first ever Fan Fiction so I appreciate anyone who reads! Follow Indie through all her unbelievable experiences with the rest of the primeval team. Will the relationship between her and her mother carry on as if nothing happened or will things have a dramatic change and perish their lost relationship for good? Disclaimer: I don't own Primeval. I do own Indie Cutter.
1. The first chapter: Expect the unexpected

Firstly I'd like to explain and apologize. You may have already seen the first couple of chapters of this as they are on my old account but I forgot my email address and password to that one so I had to create another account, I'm very sorry. This is the one all the updates of chapters will be posted so forget the other one even exists. If you have already read the first 3 chapters skip to chapter 4 where you would have left off. Thank you.

The day after the Gorgonopsid

Abby sat in the locker room deep in thought. *What was that shining ball of light? Why was it there and what made the creatures want to go through it?* She wondered. One of her bleach blonde hairs had fallen out of place and tickled the end of her nose snapping her out of her trance.

'Did you sleep alright last night?' A voice chirped behind her making her startle.

She turned around to see who it was. It was Connor. He looked directed at her with a sympathizing smile on his face.

'Better than I thought, you?' She replied whilst putting that out of place hair back where it was meant to be.

'Not the best night sleep I've ever had...but it's not everyday you see a real life dinosaur!' He chuckled to himself.

Abby looked at him and gave him an almost silent smile. Nick, Stephen and Claudia entered the room making the eye contact between Abby and Connor break and focus on Nick.

'Right, the DNA samples from the suspected Gorgonopsid have arrived back from the lab and it has confirmed our suspicions. This creature did indeed come from the anomaly that lead into the past.' Nick explained.

'So what happens now?' Both Stephen and Claudia asked in unison.

'Now...Now we have to find out what this force is, what's causing it and how to control it with out it getting out into the public.' Nick explained with his eyes lit up in wonder.

'But Cutter, that's going to be a bit hard, keeping it away from the public? It's not like you can go up to the dinosaurs and politely ask them to stay hidden?' Connor stared at Nick blankly with a slight hint of confusion.

As Nick observed the room he noticed it was just Connor looking at him with a blank expression.

'It's impossible...' Stephen muttered with his face in his palm.

'I never said it was going to be easy, I'll think of something...but if you don't want to be apart of this, now is your time to say.'

'I'm in.' Abby said first.

'Me too.' Connor added.

'I'd be stupid to say no.' Stephen followed

'I suppose I could give it a try' Claudia sighed whilst twiddling her reddish-brown hair around her index finger.

'Good' Cutter gave a quick, approving smile before exiting the room.

Stephen followed him out the room, shutting the door behind him. He grabbed Cutters arm causing him to stop and look back. Nick could see a certain amount of concern on his face.

'What about Helen?' Stephen asked sternly.

'Helen's gone. Probably eaten. She would have been easy prey back then. She's gone. Dead, just like Indie...' Nick choked slightly whilst saying this. The horrifying memory of being told his 9 year old daughter is dead still haunts him 8 years on. He completely dismissed the sighting of Helen as him being over tired and just seeing things. The then stormed of to his office leaving Stephen standing there.

* * *

Claudia, Abby and Connor listened to their conversation carefully through the wall.

'Who's Indie?' Abby asked biting her two lips together as Stephen entered the room.

' We haven't been told about her? Where did she go? With Helen?' Claudia questioned.

'It's like crime watch in here!' Connor chuckled to himself, earning him a stern glare from everyone in the room.

Stephen looked up to the ceiling then back down to the others who were looking at him attentively.

'Indie...Indie was Nick and Helen's only daughter,she went with Helen on the day she went missing and her body was found in the forest a couple of days later...ripped to shreds... apparently the body wasn't even recognizable. The only way they could tell who it was, was by taking a sample of blood and testing the DNA. Unfortunately it came back as hers. At the time they couldn't under stand what had been done to her to leave her body in such a mess but now... now we have a good idea on what it was' Stephen said trying not to show the pain he felt inside.

They all stared at him with mournful looks.

'How old was she?' Abby asked with a saddened look on her face.

'Nine...' He answered

The room fell silent.

* * *

Later that day

Nick sat at his desk in a trance, head in his arms, sprawled across the desk. All he could see was distant memories of his wife, Helen and his daughter, Indie. He remembers the Christmas before the event happened. He remembers suddenly being woken to Indie's smiling, bright face. Looking down at him. Her big brown eyes sparkling with her long, mousey brown, wavy hair almost touching his face. He then remembers taking her down stairs early to sneakily open one small present of her choice before Helen woke. His phone vibrated on the desk in front of him, he lifted his head from his arms and reached out to answer it. It was Lester.

'What do you want?' Nick answered with no emotion in his voice what so ever.

' A simple hello would have been nice...' Lester stated sarcastically, he continued...' Well I was actually phoning to tell you we have another creature sighting for you to investigate. Apparently it was last seen about an hour ago on the sand dunes on a beach near a small village, Perran Porth? Anyway it's in Cornwall.'

'What kind of creature are we looking at?' Nick asked

'Oh I don't know, probably some kind of home sick dinosaur. Now sort it out. Mean while I have to try to find somewhere to dispose of a creature that was meant to have died millions of years ago...'

Nick rolled his eyes as he hung up the phone. Picking up a photo of his lost family and staring at it for a brief minute before putting back in a drawer then getting up to inform the others of the new creature.

* * *

Location of the sighting...

As they pulled up Abby and Stephen went around to prepare the various tranquilizers and ammunition whilst Connor followed closely behind trying to get involved but failing to do so.

Nick walked about 10 meters from the car and stared out to the horizon with no expression.

'What was she like? Indie?' a voice spoke softly behind him.

He turned around. It was Claudia. She was standing about a meter or two away from him looking at him directly in the eye with not much expression on her face either. Nick smiled and turned back round.

'Well, she had big brown eyes and long wavy, mousey brown hair that had natural blonde highlights. She looked a lot like Helen but her face shape and eye shape was more similar to mine. She had Helen's skin tone, nose, mouth and slight figure. She was always smiling, nothing would put her down...not your usual bratty child. He said with his smile withering from his face.

'I'm sorry for your losses, she sounded like a lovely girl' Claudia spoke looking down to the floor.

Nick remained silent and just kept staring out to the horizon.

'We ready to go?' Stephen asked as he walked up to Nick and nudged his shoulder.

Nick nodded. 'Just look for any fresh tracks , if Stephen, Abby and Connor go together and Claudia with me, we are going into the village just to hear what rumors are being spread about. If you find anything contact me. He explained whilst handing each of them a hand-held radio control. The team then separated and went there separate ways.

* * *

A few hours later-

'I'm sure there is nothing here, we've been here for hours... Surely if a dinosaur was here we would of seen it by now... I mean come on it's not like there is loads of hiding places up here is it?' Connor complained.

Abby rolled her eyes and sighed in disapproval.

'But we have to be sure, it's to dangerous just to be left with out a thorough check' Stephen explained.

Stephen looked up. Something grabbed his attention on the opposite dune.

'Stephen, what is it?' Abby asked nervously.

'Tracks, I think it's tracks. Over there.' He replied pointing at the dune. The trio then headed toward the suspected tracks.

Abby knelt besides one of the rather large foot prints. Staring at it, her eyes squinted as her thoughts deepened as to what could have caused them. Stephen and Connor looked down over her shoulder.

'Well it definitely isn't a sea gully that made these tracks, Connor go and check your laptop and try to identify this?' Stephen said crouching down besides Abby.

Connor studied his screen in detail.

'Well, I can defiantly tell you it's not our pal the Gorgonopsid neither is it the Scutosaurus, it's got to be something else?' Connor confirmed.

'Then what is it?' Stephen asked looking anxious. The Gorgonopsid was bad enough. *What if this time it's something worse* he wondered.

Connor resumed on his laptop searching before stopping and staring at the screen for a brief few minutes and then looking up.

'Guys! I think I've found our prime suspect...' Connor announced.

Both Abby and Stephen gathered around Connor and his laptop to see what he had come up with.

'Baryonyx, can grow to 32 feet long, 8 foot tall and is carnivorous but mainly eats fish. They are from the early Cretaceous period...' Connor added.

Abby looked at him and gulped.

'If it eats fish it's going to be near the nearest source of water-' Abby started before she was interrupted.

'-The beach!...Right I'm calling Cutter to get some sort of ammunition and get Claudia to stop access to the beach...What time is it?' Stephen carried on with Abby's speech.

Abby looked at her watch 'It's twenty five to six?'

Stephen gave and small smile of relief.

'Most people would have left the beach by now, apart from the odd dog walker it should be pretty quiet down there, hopefully beasty down there won't make to much of an appearance.' He said whilst grabbing his mobile.

Abby sat at the top of the dune and stared out to the sea. Connor came over and sat beside her.

'So peaceful, yet so many people are unaware of what's lurking around the corner, makes you how vulnerable we actually are...' She said not taking her eyes off the sea.

Connor stared at her emotionless face for a few seconds before joining her in looking out at sea.

Stephen interrupted the silence. 'Cutter and Claudia are on their way, the beach has been closed until this has been dealt with.'

Both Connor and Abby looked around at Stephen and nodded before getting up.

* * *

Nick and Claudia arrive-

As soon as the car arrived Abby and Stephen started unpacking guns

'Can I have a gun?' Connor asked with a hopeful look on his face.

'No!' Both Stephen and Abby replied.

Connors face dropped slightly.

'Why not, you lot get one?' Connor asked.

Stephen rolled his eyes and looked directly at him.

'Do you know how to use a gun?' He asked bluntly.

'Not exactly...but how hard can it be? Aim, pull the trigger and bang!' Connor gave a hopeful smile.

Stephen shook his head and walked off with Abby. Connor excitement disappeared.

'Right, we need to search the beach from top to bottom, you ready?' Nick asked with a slight smirk on his face. The team headed away from the dunes and onto the beach.

* * *

After a while of searching

'It's gone back...' Claudia mumbled to herself.

'Since when was anything as simple as that?' Nick choked.

Claudia's eyes widened, she didn't think what she mumbled would have been heard.

'Well, we've searched just about everywhere, in which a dinosaur could fit? And nothing?' She replied.

'She's right, it's not here. If a Baryonyx was here we would have at least heard it don't you think? Abby piped up.

'Alright, I've just got this feeling of doubt.' Nick replied.

'Look let me look somewhere?' Stephen asked.

'I know where you want to look and it won't be in there, I already said.' Nick replied.

'Just give me five? It's not going to hurt?' Stephen asked.

Before Nick had a chance to reply Stephen had already started jogging over to where he wanted to look.

'Stephen!' Nick called. He rolled his eyes to the fact he was completely ignored.

'Come on...' Nick sighed to the rest of them before walking over to Stephen was.

It was a small cave on the side of the cliff. The entrance was quite narrow and water of the various streams flowed into it. Stephen went in.

'He's wasting time...' Nick said to himself out loud.

'If it satisfies him then just let him go in and search.' Claudia replied knowingly that his comment wasn't aim at anyone in particular.

'I am.' Nick replied bluntly.

The team went silent for a couple of minutes before it was broken by Stephen yelling.

'Get out the way! Move away from the entrance! Move!' He yelled.

'Why?' Nick questioned.

'Just do it!' He yelled back.

Nick cautiously moved out of the way before Stephen sprinted through followed by an agitated Baryonyx.

'Stephen!' They all yelled.

'I'm going through the anomaly! I'm gonna get it back through!' He yelled back.

Nicks eye's widened as he gulped. He looked back at the other before tuning and chasing after Stephen. By the time he reached the anomaly Stephen had already gone through. He stood staring at the big rip in time.

'Don't you even think about going through that.' Claudia puffed as she caught up with him.

'I have to.' He replied.

'One person dead is better than two, Cutter!' Claudia exclaimed.

'We don't know if he is dead. We need to know, Claudia! We can't just leave him there without knowing for sure...' Nick answered back.

' Give him an hour. If he is not back through by then, then you can go through.' Claudia demanded.

'Cutter, what about your radio transmitter? Can't you contact him through it?' Connor asked.

Nick took the transmitter that was attached to his belt and looked at it before trying to contact Stephen.

* * *

Other side of anomaly

'Stephen?' Cutter asked through the transmitter.

'I'm fine, I'm going to stick around here for a bit longer, just to make sure it doesn't come back through.' Stephen replied

'You've got an hour, if you're not back then, I'm coming through along with some back up.' Nick warned.

Nick put his transmitter in his back pocket and glanced around. He was on a beach just like the one on the other side of the anomaly only this one was smaller as a jungle of trees crept onto it. The air was very warm and sticky unlike the fresh air on the other side. Stephen could sense he was being watched almost straight away. He couldn't actually see anything that was watching him but he could definitely sense he wasn't on this beach by himself. He loaded his gun quickly and aimed it at the group of trees that stood a few meters in front of him. As he went to pull the trigger to hopefully scare the creature of, he stopped. He tensed as he could feel what ever was watching him was now watching at a far closer distance. He could hear it moving and shuffling behind him. He froze and remained still for a brief few seconds before attempting to turn around quickly and shoot. As he went to do this something large hit him over the head and sent him to the floor. He looked up, his vision blurred. He could just make out a humanoid figure standing above him.

'Helen?' He quietly choked before he completely blacked out.

* * *

Stephen steadily opened his eyes, he sat up whilst trying to bring back the focus in his eyes. He looked around. It wasn't the beach where he could last remember being. He was surrounded by tree's and it looked as if he was in some kind of small tribal camp. There was a small log fire and a small poorly built mud hut. As he looked at the hut a girl emerged from it.

'Stephen!' The girl beamed at him.

Stephen stared at her shocked and confused. *Who the hell is she and how on Earth does she know my name?* Were just a few of many questions that passed his mind at that moment. The girl stood at about 5 foot 6 , she had long, wavy, mousey brown hair that reached to the base of her back and big brown eyes. She looked to be in her late teens. She wore a throw of various lizard skins that acted as a poorly fitting dress. Stephen went to grab his gun but then realized it was no longer by his side. He stood up and stared at the girl dead in the eye. She bit her bottom lip and cautiously took a step back away from him.

'Who are you?' He asked her in a threatening way.

' Do you not recognize me?' She asked as her face dropped and her voice lowered.

Stephen looked at her up and down and shook his head.

'Stephen, it's me? Indie...I know you're probably shocked and don't believe me but-' She started before she was interrupted

'You're right, I don't believe you. Indie was found 8 years ago... dead. Who are you?' He repeated.

'Stephen, I'm telling you the truth! I promise! That body can't have been mine, look I can prove it's me!' She pleaded as she lifted up the right side of her long hair to reveal a small scar behind her ear that she had done whilst in Stephens company when she was eight.

Stephen looked at her in disbelief. *It really is her* He thought to himself. He smiled at her relieved that she was still alive and pulled her into a hug.

'I'm sorry that I hit you. You shooting would have caused a scene and would have attracted predators which is the last thing I need... Are you going to take me home?' She sobbed.

'I'm not just going to leave you here am I?' Stephen replied sarcastically.

Indie smiled as the tears stopped streaming down her face. She was actually a very pretty girl. Stephen looked down at his watch and realized that only twenty minutes had passed. He looked up at Indie.

'God know what your Dad is going to say or think when I bring you back with me'

Indie let out an amused chuckle. Stephen spotted his gun beside the hut. He went over picked it up and then started heading back towards the anomaly with Indie following closely behind.

'So how did you end up here and how long have you been here for?' Stephen asked curiously.

'Well, Mum said she was going on an adventure one night, to find a monster...I begged to go with her and eventually she agreed to let me go with her. It didn't take us too long before we found this 'monster' but then out of no where this girl...must of been about my age just appeared and started screaming. Mum went out and grabbed her and I followed. The creature started to chase us and we ran into the forest. We ran and ran until we thought the creature had lost us. We were wrong, it didn't lose us. It jumped out of the dark and killed the other little girl and then it ran off through some big, shiny, ball of light that just randomly appeared. Mum was fine with just a few cuts and bruises and I split my palm of my hand open and my lip but it was nothing compared to the poor girl. I remember going over to try and wake her up but nothing, she just laid there. She was all cold and covered in blood. I ran my hand over her forehead and my blood smeared all over her face. It horrible... but any way Mum then picked me up and we ran through the light and we traveled through them ever since.' Indie explained.

'Where's Helen now then?' Stephen looked at her hopefully.

Indie sighed and a tear ran down her cheek. 'We traveled through the lights for about three years and came across amazing things, things you can only imagine! We were only going to stay here a short while before going to the next place. No light balls appeared for a long time and well we were hungry and bored of eating fish so she went out to hunt something bigger. Mum left me in a tree whilst she went to get something but she never came back, that was the last time I ever saw her. I went to go and look for her but she just wasn't anywhere... I think she's dead...'

Stephen gulped. Indie stopped walking as something and stared at Stephen as something dawned on her. Stephen stopped and looked back at her confused.

'What?' He asked.

' When I hit you, you called out Helen? Is she still alive? Is she here?' Indie questioned.

'I don't know... I just thought that it was a big possibility that you were her.' Stephen replied.

Indie looked down at the floor and let out a deflated sigh. Stephen put his hand on her shoulder.

'Come on lets just get you back to where you belong, over sixty-five million years in the future.' He said giving her a light push indicating her to move to move forward.

The pair walked off towards the anomaly. As they got closer all sorts of emotions ran through Indie. Excitement, fear, happiness and nervousness. She couldn't help but think * Can I go back? Can I manage going back?* As they step directly in front of the large, glowing phenomenon Indie grabbed Stephens arm and tugged him back.

'I can't go! I can't do it!' She exclaimed.

Stephen rolled his eyes as he turned to face her.

'Why not?' He asked bluntly looking into her eyes emotionless.

'Because so much would have changed and' She choked

'And? And what?' He asked abruptly.

'I don't think I can cope...' She looked up at him, tears filling up her eyes.

'Indie, I can't just leave you here. I can't leave you here knowing you are alive whilst people that care about you are standing a couple of feet away from here think you are dead. I can't do that...' Stephen explained with a noticeable amount of concern in his face.

Indie looked up at him, a tear rolled down her cheek, thinking about what he had just said to her. In all that time she had been gone she never really took the time to think about what the people she left behind felt. After all that time it had only just hit her. She found it ironic that she hit Stephen with a rock and he turned around and hit her with the truth, which seemed to affect her more...

'Not that much has changed' Stephen chuckled.

Indie looked up at him and smiled. Stephen took a step closer towards her. He tucked the ringlet of hair that fell in front of her eyes around her ear and wiped the tears off of her face. She bit her bottom lip as her smile grew.

'You'll be fine, you are a Cutter remember?' Stephen reassured her as he took her hand into his.

'Yeah.' She said quietly.

They both looked at the light in front of them. Still hand in hand Stephen walked forwards and through the anomaly, tugging Indie along with him.

* * *

Nick waited nervously on the other side. As each minute went by he could feel his heart rate go up. At this point the 'back-up' had arrived. Captain Ryan and his crew surrounded the anomaly . He was so tempted to run through but he knew Claudia was right. The anomaly was unstable, it had been open for hours and could close at any point and one person gone was better than two.

'How long has he been in there for now?' He asked impatiently.

'Fifty three minutes, professor.' Captain Ryan replied.

'Give it another five minutes and then I give you permission to go through.' Claudia said running her hand through her auburn hair. She was also starting to feel stressed with the situation.

Nick nodded at her before focusing his attention back onto the anomaly. The anomaly started to flicker.

'Is it fading?!' Abby asked her eyes widening at the thought. She started biting on her fingers for comfort.

'No, there's no change on the magnetic field?' Connor confirmed, holding the compass to the anomaly with a confused expression on his face.

'Something must be coming through.' Nick stated.

With that all of Captain Ryan's crew got down on the floor on one knee with there rifles pointing directly at the flickering, ball of light.

'Don't shoot!' Nick demanded. 'It could be Stephen!'

The entire crew lowered there weapons and turned to look at Nick. As they did Stephen burst through the anomaly and fell to the floor closely followed by Indie who fell on top of him. The pair laid there panting. Every one stopped and turned there attention to Stephen and the strange girl who had followed him through. The crew's rifles once again rose and pointed at her. Not a word was said by anyone. Nick stared. As the girls head looked up Nick's eyes widened and his face dropped in shock. He shook his head in disbelief as his heart rate went up like a rocket. The girl smiled.

'Hey Dad.' She said softly grinning.

Everyone lowered there weapons and looked between Nick and the girl in confusion.

'I-Indie?' Nick choked in disbelief. His eyes wide in shock.

* * *

Thank you for reading!

* * *

Characters-

Nick Cutter

Stephen Hart

Claudia Brown

Indie Cutter

Connor Temple

Abby Maitland

James Lester

Captain Ryan


	2. Coming home

**At Nick's house**

Nick entered his living room and handed a hot cup of tea to his newly re-discovered daughter.

'I still can't believe you're alive.' He smiled still in dis belief as he sat down on his single seated couch.

Indie looked around. The house was very much the same as when she left . Same wall paper, same flooring and same furniture. The only things that had changed were a few extra ornaments that were placed on the mantle piece and a few more photo's hung up on the walls. Mainly photo's of her and her Mum.

'Well, I am.' She reassured as she took a sip of the cup of tea.

Indie sat down on the three seated sofa on the opposite side of the room. She looked around a bit more.

'So have you got another family now... You know, like another wife? Kids?' She questioned looking at her Dad curiously as she placed her cup on the small table besides her and made herself comfy.

'No, I never really got over the fact of loosing you and your Mum. I just had a bit of hope that one dad I'd find you. I did, well one of you anyway.' He answered as he rested his elbows onto his knees and put his face into his hands.

'It's strange seeing you all grown up. It feels like it was only yesterday you were that little girl running around in pig tail.' Nick said softly with his face still in his hands.

'You'll get used to it, like I'll get used to this new world ' She laughed back to him.

Nick lifted his head out of his hands.

'So how about coming and helping me, Stephen, Claudia, Abby and Connor with the anomalies? You probably know a bit about them and would be a great help on the team.'

Indie tensed and gulped a bit. *I've only just come back through, what if I get stranded in one again...* She hesitated a bit more. * But would my Dad put me in danger? No, of course not and it's not like I'd be alone.* They were a few thoughts running through her head before she finally made a decision.

'I don't really know much about them... but I can still help. I'm pretty good with dinosaurs from my time, well I don't know what they're called but I can tell you if they are going to eat you or not?' She smiled as she relaxed into the back of the couch.

Nick smiled. ' Thank you, you'll do good.'

Nick looked at Indie noticing the state she was in. Her hair was quite matted and her face was dark with mud. Her throw of skins that covered her body had obvious signs of wear and tear. *How long had she been wearing that throw?*

'Go and have a shower and freshen up. The shampoo and body wash is in the cupboard under the sink. I have a navy blue dressing gown hanging on the bathroom door, wear that for the moment. Look through this catalogue after and circle any clothes you want. I'll go out tomorrow morning and try to buy them for you.' He smiled back as he got up out of his chair and passed her the catalogue that was on the floor next to his feet.

'Thank you' Indie replied with a accepting smile on her face. She took the catalogue from him and gave him a hug. Nick hugged her back tight, he didn't want to let go. Fearing he would lose her again.

'Missed you' She whispered before letting go and running up the stairs into the bathroom.

Nick looked up the stairs as she went up and smiled, even welling up a bit. He felt his life coming back together again. Eight years of it falling apart and loosing himself and finally a big piece had come back. A new beginning for him? Possibly.

* * *

Characters-

Nick Cutter.

Indie Cutter.


	3. The Arthropleurid pt1: The prank

The tube train was fairly busy but not packed full of people, most people had a seat but it was fairly stuffy. Most people were fanning themselves to keep cool. The train stopped.  
'London Underground apologizes for the delay to the journey due to signaling problems at Parsons Green.' The driver announced down the train.  
A young woman rose from her seat to open the window on the emergency exit to try to cool down. She stood there still, reading her book, oblivious to the world around her, when something tickled her neck. She scratched her neck to make it stop, it did for a few seconds but then it resumed to tickle her. She turned around to be face to face with a giant spider. She slammed the window shut as she went into a panic, slicing off one of the spider's legs. She let out a piercing scream.

* * *

CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY:

Nick sat at his desk surrounded by piles of paperwork. Stephen lounged on the couch facing Nicks desk clutching some more paper work in his hands.

'There's ten years of Helen's work here.' Stephen Stated, placing the papers onto one of the large piles of paper work in front of him.

'I know, Keep looking.' Nick replied not taking his eyes off the piece of paper he was reading.

'You've read every word she ever wrote.' Stephen said rubbing his eyes sinking into the back of the couch.

'Yes, but we didn't know about the anomaly then. There might be references to it in Helen's work that we overlooked.' Nick replied whilst picking up his next piece of paper.

' If she knew about it, she would have told you and if not you she could have said something to Indie?' Stephen asked whilst sitting up straight and then resting his elbows on Nicks desk while he stared at him waiting for a reply.

Nick looked at him unsure. All of a sudden a flashback started happening of when he was coming out of his lab after hearing a noise and then the anomaly disappearing and Helen stood looking at him under a street light. He shook his head slightly and he came back to reality. He stared deeply at the photo of Helen on his desk. *Am I going mad, why do I keep seeing you* He thought to himself.

'Are you alright? ' Stephen asked looking very concerned.

' Just haven't been sleeping very well, you know with Indie back at home, it's a big change. Still trying to get used it.' He smiled at Stephen to indicate that he was perfectly fine and didn't need his concern.

* * *

CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY:

Connor was still at the table in café with his laptop, in the same seat he was in when he was approach by his college friends Tom and Duncan . He logged on and went onto the internet, he searched something up. He grinned at the screen.

'A new sighting, perfect!' He whispered to himself before he logged off and headed off to Abby's.

* * *

CENTRAL METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Indie sat alone in an empty room, reading a pile of paper work her dad gave her. It was trying to explain the anomalies. Everything was silent. She pushed the papers to one side out of frustration and rested her head on the desk. Her reading skills weren't fantastic with being away from all kinds civilization for so long so it didn't take much before she got frustrated with it.

Connor and Abby burst into the room.

'Indie! We've found a new sighting!' Connor smiled at her enthusiastically.

Indie lifted her head and blinked a few times to bring her eyes into focus.

'Do you want to come with us to investigate! This is our time to prove we are useful and independent.' Connor asked with a smile on his face.

Indie could see his excitement. She then noticed how quiet Abby was and became a bit concerned.

'Does my Dad and Stephen know about this?' Indie asked looking at Abby.

'Not exactly but-' Abby started before Connor interrupted.

'If we say anything they would just end up taking over and leave us with the less exciting stuff like usual. Please Indie, just think how proud your Dad would be if we managed to get this creature back through the anomaly by ourselves with no back up or help. It would make us more significant in the team!' Connor begged.

Indie thought about it for a bit and saw his point, maybe this could be her chance to prove to her dad that she isn't a kid anymore and that she had grown up. She got up out of her chair and grabbed her coat.

'Well it's a better idea than sitting around all day trying to read this stuff. ' She smiled before nudging Connor's shoulder and linking arms with Abby.

The trio walked out the room and started their adventure.

* * *

By the River-

Abby walked from where a bunch of canoes are stored and sat next to Indie and Connor at the base of a tree.

'The tent's only big enough for one. You two should have brought your own.' Abby stated as she got herself comfy.  
'I like sleeping out.' Conner replied with, trying not to look bothered about what he was just told.

Abby laughed.

'Don't really look the type?' Indie questioned

' I did the Duke of Edinburgh award, you know. For a morning. Until I sprained my ankle.' Connor said trying to prove a point.

Abby and Indie both sniggered at him a bit.

'We should huddle together for warmth.' Connor smiled looking a bit cold

Abby gave Connor the most incredulous look as if to say *no way*.

'You're on your own on that one mate!' Indie burst out laughing as she caught the look Abby gave him.

'Guys, can I ask you a personal question?' Abby asked looking a bit uncomfortable.

'Go ahead. Anything.' Connor replied looking somewhat hopeful.

' Is Stephen seeing anybody?' Abby asked with an unsure awkward look on her face.

' Stephen?' Indie asked as her face dropped.

'Has he said anything about me?' Abby burst out.

Indie felt a rush of jealousy rush over her. Ever since he rescued her and brought her home she felt something for him, she never used to feel like it and she had been trying to get rid of the feeling when she got back as she knew that he was seeing someone and even if he wasn't seeing someone, she didn't stand a chance but hearing Abby saying that just made things twice as worse.

'Uh, no. Not that I can remember, no. Actually I've never seen him with a woman. He might not like them. Could be gay.' Connor said without thinking.

Indie turned her head so she wasn't facing either of them and leant against the tree. She found that what Connor said hilarious, she knew that Stephen was seeing someone all ready and it definitely wasn't a man but she would rather Abby think he was gay so she would stop swooning over him. She laughed silently to herself.  
'Gay?' Abby repeated with her eye brows raised

'Well, I never said he was. I just said he could be.' Connor save himself as he knew if this got back to Stephen he wouldn't be best pleased.

'But you don't know.' Abby stated whilst gritting her teeth.

'Not conclusively. No.' Connor confirmed.

Abby got up threw the rest of her hot drink onto the floor and stormed off into the tent.

'We'll keep first watch then, shall we?' Conner asked hesitantly.

Abby gave no reply and zipped up the tent, Connor settled back against the tree. Indie couldn't hold in her laughter anymore she just burst out laying of the cold floor.

* * *

Central Metropolitan University:

Nick and Claudia were still in his office, talking at Nick's desk about why we can't let the public know about what's going on when Stephen entered the office.  
'Text from Abby. Connor thinks he's onto another anomaly. Him, Indie and Abby have gone to investigate.' Stephen sighed.  
'Where are they?' Nick asked looking a bit concerned.  
'New Forest. She's not exactly sure where.' Stephen replied as he rubbed his eyes.

'Lets go and find them before they end up injuring themselves' Nick rolled his eyes. It became quite clear to Nick soon after Indie settled in that she had no common sense and she was very naïve.

* * *

At the river -

It was daylight before Nick, Stephen and Claudia finally reached them. It didn't take long before they were told by the police what had happened overnight. Nick knew straight away Connor had said something to someone and this was a prank just to scare them. Stephen looked at the dinosaur model_. _Abby,Connor and Indie stood by the river looking apprehensive.  
' Take care and make sure it doesn't happen again.' The police man warned before walking off.

Nick walked over to the three.  
' Look, I know what you're going to say.' Connor started

'We're sorry.' Abby pleaded.

' The police aren't going to prosecute you for trespassing. Supposing it had been a predator. What were you going to do? Tame it? You knew exactly what was at stake but you just couldn't keep your mouth shut.' Nick sternly said to them mainly aiming his talk at Connor.

'It's just so big. I had to tell somebody. I'm sorry. I am. I blew it.' Connor admitted

'Go back to college. Get on with your work. I'll find you another supervisor.' Nick said calmly.

' I'm just as much to blame as he is.' Abby interrupted.

' Just as stupid, maybe. But you didn't shout your mouth off and you've still got skills I can use. You stay.' Nick said abruptly

Nick pointed at Indie. 'You in the car. Now.'

Nick, Indie and Stephen head towards the car. Connor turns away, looking like he's about to cry.

* * *

In the car

Nick was driving, Stephen was in the passenger side and Indie was in the back staring out of the window.

'I'm sorry, I just wanted to prove to you that I can help and I'm not just a hindrance.' Indie sighed.

'You're very naïve, Indie and you need to sort that out before you end up putting yourself into real danger.' Nick warned her.

Stephens phone vibrated.

'I've got a text come through from Lester, there's been a sighting of a giant spider in the underground and a man who has been attacked in the same place who is now in a critical condition in the hospital.' Stephen read with concern in his voice.

'Tell him we'll be at the hospital in a few hours.' Nick replied.

* * *

Characters-

Nick Cutter

Indie Cutter

Connor Temple

Abby Maitland

Stephen Hart

Claudia Brown

Underground train driver


	4. The Arthropleurid pt2

PT2.

* * *

HOSPITAL:

The nurse checked the underground worker that was attacked earlier. He was pale and shaking and appeared having breathing difficulties. DR Lewis was talking to Nick and Claudia.

'This kind of thing doesn't normally interest the government.' Dr Lewis stated curiously.

' We like to keep an eye on violent crime, Dr Lewis. Especially when there's unusual circumstances.' Claudia replied.

'Well, he was found early this morning in the Underground. He'd been spraying the tunnels for vermin. Judging from the size of the wound, he'd been attacked with a knife or an axe, but it makes no sense.' The doctor explained with a very confused and concerned look spreading over her face.

' Why not?' Claudia questioned hoping that the doctor wasn't aware to what was going on.

' It's not the wound that's killing him, it's poison.' She replied.

'Are you suggesting that someone took an axe to him, and then injected poison into the wound?' Claudia asked sarcastically trying to cover up what had actually happened.

'Venom, to be 're running every test we can think of, but the truth is, we just don't know what we're dealing with.' The Doctor added.

' Did he say anything before he lost consciousness?' Claudia asked cautiously.

'He was babbling about monsters.' The doctor replied, who was clearly now very confused.

Nick wondered over to the man and stared at the gaping hole in the side of his body.

' It looks like a single puncture mark, but it's not a knife and it's not an axe. It's more like a bite.' Nick stated.

'From what?' The doctor asked now looking extremely concerned.

'Good question.' Nick replied.

* * *

OUTSIDE THE STATION :

Claudia arrived at the station with Captain and a load of soldiers. The soldiers rushed around making preparations. Getting the ammunition out of the cars and setting up perimeters. The passengers that were in the station left as the soldiers entered. Shortly after Nick, Indie, Stephen and Abby arrived.

' We should be down there with them.' Nick sighed as he approached Claudia.

'Special Forces go in first. You didn't think Lester was going to let you have it all your own way?' Claudia rolled her eyes.

'They don't even know what they're looking for.' Nick muttered to himself out loud.

'Well, there can't be that many different types of venomous predator under the Aldwych.' Stephen shouted out as he and Indie also approach Nick and Claudia.

'You should see the last tube home on a Friday night.' Claudia joked as she tried to lighten the mood a bit.

* * *

Claudia listened carefully to what was being said over the radio. Nick stood nearby trying to listen in on the conversation between Claudia and who ever was on the other side of the radio. Nick quickly joined her as a scream from the radio is heard. Indie then also hurried to join them.

* * *

A medic examined the soldier who had a spider dropped on him. The medic called Nick over to see the large puncture wound on the soldier's neck. Stephen, Indie, Claudia and Ryan rushed over to Nicks side to also view the puncture.

'They were like spiders, but with pincers, not fangs. Some of them over a meter long. Horrible little…' Captain Ryan explained almost getting to carried away with himself.

'Look, tell me how you feel.' Nick asked trying to get the Captain back on focus.

' Sick. My ears are ringing…' He replied.

'Indie, was there anything of Captain Ryan's description back where you came from?' Nick asked.

'No, not that I've seen and I was there long enough to know what was there and giant spiders, well they just wouldn't fit in?' Indie replied trying to sound as knowledgable as she could.

Stephen smiled and shook his head finding her trying to sound knowledgable rather funny. Indie gave him a sarcastic smile. Nick turned his focus back to Captain Ryan.

' Any blurred vision?' He asked.

'No. But there's something else. The gunshots were too bright, like fireworks.' Ryan described.

'That's classic signs of excess oxygen in the atmosphere.' Stephen added.

Indie rolled her eyes at him, knowing he was showing off. He just sounded knowledgable naturally and they often joked about it.

The four of them leave Ryan to prepare his men. Abby then joined them_._

' A richer, more heavily oxygenated air must be seeping through from another anomaly. We're not talking about the Permian era any longer. This is much, much earlier.' Nick explained.

'How much earlier?' Indie asked out of curiosity.

'Maybe the Carboniferous about 300 million years ago. We really need to see exactly what these creatures look like. I need to see this for myself.' He answered turning his focus to Claudia.

'Okay, go.' Claudia sighed.

' Lets get some gear.' Nick smiled.

Nick, Indie, Abby and Stephen walked off to get suited up leaving Claudia behind.

'Oh, you wear it well. You look good.' Stephen joked to Indie.

'Shut up. You don't look any better.' Indie snapped back in a joke way.  
Nick and Stephen laughed as Ryan walks up and offers a gun to Nick.

Since coming back Indie had grown very close to Stephen. They constantly made sarcastic jokes between each other but she trusted him with her life really.

'Ah. No, we need torches. The most powerful you can find.' Nick said handing back the gun.

'Take night vision goggles.' Captain Ryan suggested.

'Vision isn't the issue.' Stephen explained.

'Well, the pest controller died a few minutes ago. They're running tests on our casualty now.' Claudia announced as she approached them. Before turning her attention to Abby and Indie.

'What are doing?' Claudia questioned abruptly.

'Abby's got more practical experience with animals than the rest of us put together and Indie's lived with giant predators for many years so a few angry insects aren't going to phase her.' Nick explained.

'Fine Indie can go, I suppose she has more experience with the past than anyone here... but Abby, I don't care if she's Doctor Dolittle. Sorry, it's just too risky.'

' I can help. I've just finished a study in insect behaviour.' Abby pleaded.  
Nick smiled at her 'Torches.'

Abby smiled back.

Claudia,Indie, Nick and Ryan walk off.

'Is that true?' Stephen asked doubtfully as he turned to face her.

'Kind of. To tell you the truth, spiders aren't really my thing.' Abby admitted.

'Yeah, well, technically these are probably scorpions.' Stephen corrected.

'I feel better already.' Abby sighed sarcastically before her and Stephen walked off and caught up with the others.

* * *

Nick,Indie, Stephen and Abby entered the underground tunnels, armed only with torches and a small branch that Indie picked up before she went in. They entered a dark tunnel to the storeroom. A spider scrambled away as the torches shone on it.

'On the ground. That's what I thought, they're sensitive to the light.' Nick thought aloud.  
The three of them entered the tunnel, Nick first, Indie last. Another spider lurked on the wall above them.

'Oh! Does anyone have a really big slipper.' Abby said cringing as she had to pass it.

Indie reached in front Abby and whacked it with her branch.

'Nope but I have a stick.' She smiled answering Abby's question.

Stephen turned round and gave her a funny look. Indie just gave him a sweet, innocent little smile which made him laugh a little.

As they entered the room, the spiders scuttled around on the floor into new hiding places away from the torches.

' I don't like this.' Nick admitted as he stared at the many creatures that where darting around by his feet.

Stephen gagged as he stood on one of the spiders.

'Man up.' Indie sniggered as she saw his reaction to the squished spider. She carried on walking before spotting a fence at the side of the room, there was a fairly large hole in it. Abby joined her and also stared at the large hole.

'Cutter.' Abby called out quietly.

He couldn't hear.

'Dad!' Indie shouted.

Nick quickly walked over to where Abby and Indie were standing with Stephen following behind. Nick looked through before stepping through it with the others following. As they turned a corner another big, ball of shining light floated in front of them.

'What's happening to us?' Nick asked as he admired the anomaly.  
As they watch, several spiders run back through the anomaly into their own time. Abby drops her torch. She turns and picks it up. As she straightens, she sees something moving at the back of the room.

'Guys.' Abby called nervously.

They all turned around and saw the large insect at the back of the room.

'What is it?' Abby questioned

' I don't know.' Indie replied.

She grabbed Stephens arm as she was unsure of the situation she was it.

' It's not a spider.' Nick confirmed.

They jolted back as the creature bursts out from behind a set of metal boxes. Stephen grabbed Indie's and Abby's arms and dragged them both back through the fence, out of danger but the oversized centipede blocked Nick off from the fence. He threw a box at it and it backed off. Nick quickly grabbed his radio as he heard Claudia's voice.

'Cutter, what's going on?' She asked impatiently.  
'There's another creature down here but don't worry, we're coming out.' He replied

'Stephen, Stephen can you see it?' Nick asked in a whisper  
'No!' Stephen answered.

Indie joined Stephen in searching.  
A strange noise above him made him freeze, he anxiously looked up to see the creature crawling across the ceiling above him.

'Stephen!' Abby warned.

Stephen pushed Indie out of harms way and grabbed a small box, throwing it at the giant insect. The creature ignored the box and backed Stephen, Indie and Abby into a corner. Nick whistled, attracting the creature to him.

'Go!' Nick shouted at the three of them

' Dad!' Indie shouted back.

' Go, go. Get your selves out of here!' Nick yelled.

'Come on!' Stephen whispered.

'No!' Indie stood and made it obvious that she wasn't leaving without her Dad.

Stephen grabbed her and flung her over his shoulder.

'Put me down! Let me go! Stephen!' She screamed in frustration as his jogged away.

The three of them made it to the tunnel and closed the door. Leaving Nick alone in the room with the creature, which then turned towards him.

* * *

'Damn.' Nick muttered to himself as the creature crawled closer to him.

Nick ran to the back of the room to another door. He ran through and slammed it behind him. He pushed all his body weight against the door as the centipede flung into it a couple of times. Nick looks around surrounded by a series of tunnels._  
_After the bashing of the door stopped, Nick stepped away. A woman's voice whispered his name.

' Nick.' The voice whispered.

'Hello?' Nick answered back feeling quite un-nerved.

'Nick.' The voice repeated.

'Who's there?' Nick asked warily.

He spotted a shadow that was running down one of the tunnels. He chased after it.

'Helen!' He called. No reply.

* * *

Stephen, Indie and Abby approached Claudia who was still trying to get hold of Nick_._

'Cutter? Come in. All I'm getting is interference. Look.' She called down the radio.  
She held out a map of the tunnels and showed it to Stephen. Abby and Indie peered over his shoulder to have a look.

'There's no other way out. This tunnel was blocked 30 years ago.' Claudia sighed as she saw the worry spread over there faces. Especially Indies.

'Where's my Dad! Where is he!' Indie panicked.

Stephen and Abby tried to comfort her but she wasn't having any of it. She was worried she had lost her family once before and she wasn't up for loosing what she had left. Stephen grabbed both of her shoulders and turned her so she faced him.

'Look, he's got to be trapped, okay? I'm going back in.' He told her with certainy in his voice.

' No-one goes anywhere until we know what we're dealing with.' Claudia demanded.

Indies face dropped even more as she buried her face into Stephen.

'He could be injured.' He said sharply to Claudia.

'I don't want to leave him down there anymore than you do, but I'm not losing anyone else in this wild goose chase. We don't even know for sure where he is. Did you see what kind of creature it was?' Claudia explained whilst noticing the state Indie had got herself in.

'It was some kind of centipede.' Stephen answered.

'But huge!' Abby added.

'Any more? Like preferred habitat, behavioural patterns, strengths, weaknesses?' Claudia questioned trying to get as much information out of them as she possibly could.  
'We don't know. No one does!' Abby snapped.

'Connor might. He's like a walking encyclopaedia of this stuff. He probably has giant bug fridge magnets.' Stephen suggested with a bit of hope restored.

'Okay, I'll get him here.' Claudia sighed as once again she became stressed.

She handed Stephen the map and walked away.

Indie pushed herself away from Stephen and grabbed a gun from the car boot.

'What are you doing?' Abby asked as she watched Indie prepare herself.

'I'm going to get my Dad' Indie sniffed as she wiped the tears away from her cheeks.

Abby shook her head.

'Don't be stupid Ind.' Stephen butted in also shaking his head. He stood next to Abby to show he agreed with what Abby was thinking. Indie looked at them both with dagger eyes.

'I'm going in.' She told them bluntly.

'No, you're not. I'll go. You stay here, we can't have you getting into trouble aswell.' Stephen replied rolling his eyes.

' I can't leave him in there.' He whispered to Abby as he made his way over to the tunnels.  
' You can't go down there without back up.' Abby called out.

'Watch me.' Stephen smirked.

'Stephen.' Abby moaned as he ran of into the tunnel.

Indie stood and sighed with relief.

' Claudia's going to bloody kill him when she finds out...' Abby sighed.

'Ah well... he'll live.' Indie smiles as she linked arms with Abby.

The two girls laughed.

* * *

Half an hour passed and Abby decided to try and check up on Stephen just to make sure every thing was going to plan.

'Stephen. Where are you? Stephen?' Abby called down the radio as concern rapidly spread over her face. No reply.

'He's not replying. Is he?' Indie gulped.

Neither of the girls noticed Claudia approaching them from behind.

'What's he done?' Claudia snapped.

Abby and Indies gave each other guilty looks whilst Claudia snatched the radio from them. Claudia tried calling him down the radio but once again there was no reply.

'He was trying to help.' Indie rolled her eyes. She really didn't like Claudia at this moment in time.  
'Well, he's done a really great job, hasn't he? Stephen, come in. Stephen? That's the problem with heroic gestures. Succeed and you look wonderful. Fail, and all you do is leave everybody else with a bloody mess to clear up. Well done.' Claudia argued. She turned to Captain Ryan. 'Get down there.

Ryan went to get his men ready to go back into the tunnels. Indie, stood there feeling guilty, *I should have just gone in there myself.* She thought to herself. Connor just arrived.

* * *

It wasn't long before Nick emerged from the tunnels with a very unsteady, ill looking Stephen.

'Help! We need a medic!' Nick called out.

Abby went straight over to help. Indie held back feeling guilty and bad to what ever happened to Stephen in the tunnel, so instead she went to join Connor who was on his laptop, searching up possible creatures. She looked over his shoulder and she was soon joined by Claudia who was doing the same.

' Okay, Carboniferous. So it's probably an Arthropleurid. That's a centipede on steroids, basically. It's more or less blind, good sense of smell and touch. I mean, this thing's pretty big and scary looking, but it's more or less timid. It's the kind of bug that'd stick to the kitchen at parties.' Connor confirmed.

'This one must have a personality disorder. How dangerous is it?' Claudia sighed.

'According to this, it would have eaten dead wood and leaves.' Connor replied

'So it's not poisonous?' Indie asked.

' No way.' Connor smiled.

The soldiers arrived with Nick and Stephen. Claudia and Connor rushed over. Indie watched from a distance. She could see everyone rushing about. Her Dad and Connor were discussing something and so were Stephen and Abby but she couldn't quite hear what they were saying about. She then watched Abby climb into the ambulance with him. She couldn't help thinking that it should have been her in the ambulance with him, after if it wasn't for her throwing a temper tantrum he probably wouldn't have gone back in.

Nick approached Indie and put his arm around her shoulders.

'I've been on the phone to Abby, thing aren't looking to great at the minute but there is something we can try. We need to get a sample of the Arthropleurid's venom first. Abby is on her way back here so we can discuss a plan.' Nick explained.

Indie gave him a sweet smile as she got up and walked off to meet Connor and Claudia.

* * *

Abby arrived. The five of them discussed about how to save Stephen.

'Can't we run some more tests and find a match for the venom somehow?' Claudia suggested.

'It would take to long. He's dying.' Abby stressed

'No, the only way to shortcut the process is to collect a pure sample of venom from the creature that bit him.' Nick added.

'How the hell are we going to do that? Ask it to fill a specimen jar?' Indie rolled her eyes, thinking that nothing could possibly be that simple.  
'In a way.' Nick smiled.

Indie, Connor and Abby looked at him confused whilst Claudia gave an unsatisfied huff.

'Oh, come on.' Connor moaned as he realised what Nick was about to do.

'No. It's the only option.' Nick replied.

Abby and Connor went to get themselves ready.

'Dad?' Indie said looking sorrowful

Nick looked at her and gave a sympathising look.

'I'm not going to join you on this one... I don't think I'd be much help. I'll stay here and wait for you to come back out' She continued and she looked down to the floor.

Nick smiled. 'Alright'

He then walked off to catch up with Abby and Connor before disappearing once again into the tunnel.

* * *

Indie became impatient. She'd been waiting for a while now. She wanted to know what was going on. She started to pace. It wasn't long after when they all emerged from the tunnel with the bag of venom.

'Right then let's get this to the hospital.' Nick announced as They walked towards the car. Indie smiled to herself.

* * *

HOSPITAL:

Nick and Indie waited in the waiting area of the hospital. After a couple of hours a nurse came out to joins them. Indie jumped out of her seat.

'Is he okay?' She asked eagerly.

'He's gained consciousness but is still feeling a big groggy.' The nurse calmly replied.

Indie felt relieved and a huge smile grew on her face.

' Can I go and speak to him?' She asked.

'Yes, this way.' The nurse replied as she directed Indie to his ward.

* * *

As she approached the ward Abby walked out and gave her a quick smile.

Indie walked in and sat in the chair next to his bed.

' I feel really bad, Stephen...' Indie gulped.

He stared at her confused.

' I mean. If it wasn't for me throwing a temper tantrum this wouldn't have happened.' She confessed.

' Honestly, I would have still gone back in whether you threw a fit or not. Don't think it's your fault. It's not. Anyway I'm alive so what does it matter?'

Indie smiled at him.

'I thought you were going to die' She said looking at him relieved.

'Pfft...I don't die.' Stephen laughed back.

'Yeah, you're a bit like a...um..cockroach. No matter how much you try to kill them, they always come back.' She giggled.

Stephen gave her a light, playful nudge.

'I guess you've called Allison back to help look after you?' Indie asked.

'Yeah she arrives back on my release date, which is ideal.' He smiled.

'On that morning, I don't mind coming in to help you pack...That's if you don't mind giving me a lift back?' Indie offered.

' Yeah that's fine.' He smiled.

They smiled at each other for a few seconds before Stephen snapped himself out of it. Every thing went almost awkward.

'Well... um, I best be going, see you soon.' She quickly said before hurrying out of the room. Stephen tried to work out what come over him.

* * *

Characters:

Nick Cutter

Indie Cutter

Stephen Hart

Claudia Brown

Connor Temple

Captain Ryan

Doctor Lewis


	5. But why? (Mosasaur)

The swimming pool.

Anthony, a male lifeguard dived into the pool; he and his girlfriend, Diane Johnston, often used the pool after hours. Diane got out of the pool and went to get changed, leaving Anthony to finnish his swim. Anthony dived into the pool again for a last time before planning on joining his girlfriend. As he jumped a large marine predator appeared below him and leat up, swallowing him whole. Anthony screamed as he fell to his certain death. It really was his last dive. Diane heard the piercing scream and rushed out to see what the commotion was about.

'Anthony?' She called as she looked into the pool and realized he was nowhere to be seen. There was no reply, just deafening silence.

She walked back toward the changing rooms in hope that he had gone to dry off. As she walked past a window that looks under the surface of the pool; the same marine predator crashes into the window, making her scream.

* * *

The hospital:

Stephen started packing up the things he had with him in the hospital. It wasn't long before Indie rammed open the door making him stop and look at her. They hadn't really spoken since things randomly became awkward on the day he gained conciousness so he was fairly surprized that she still turned up to help him pack.

'Sorry I'm late, the bus was- never mind, I'm here now.' She apologized. She was speaking so quickly Stephen had a job to understand what she was saying.

'Relax, don't know why you sound so stressed.' Stephen laughed as he just about worked out what she was saying.

Indie just slammed her eyes.

'Right, what needs packing?' She asked moving onto a more relevent topic of talk.

'If you could just grab those and put them in the front pocket of that bag, that would be great.' Stephen replied pointing at various items on the table besides the hospital bed. Connor entered the room and watched the two rush about.

'You really can't remember a thing?' Connor asked.

'Not a thing after I went into the tunnels. Probably for the best though, right? Still, they say it's only short-term, so, you know…' He replied as he thought about how he really didn't want to remember what had happened to him.

' It's all been pretty scary, hasn't it? You know, it's not until you got bitten that I though that one of us might actually die from doing this.' Indie butted in.

'Really upset me.' Connor added.

'You both must have gone through hell.' Stephen replied sarcastically

They both grin. Although Indie's was more sarcastic than Connor's.

Abby walked in before any more comments were made. She is wore a skirt. Which Indie knew was out of character for her, she then remembered what Abby had told her by the lake.

' Is that perfume?' Connor asked almost in disbelief.

'I can do the girl thing, you know.' Abby snapped back.

'You look really good.' Stephen flirted.

Indie glared at him, shook her head and walked out the ward. As she left she could just about hear Stephen tell Abby and Connor about Allison. Which made her feel a bit happier but never the less, he was flirting with Abby even though he was with Allison but then she remembered, something her Mum had once told her and it then didn't seem much of a surprise to her.

* * *

Indie waited out in the car park. Stephen jogged over to join her.

'What was all that about?' He asked concerned.

Indie raised her eyebrow at him. ' What do you think?' She asked

'Oh c'mon Indie, it didn't mean anything.' Stephen explained.

Indie raised her eyebrow a little more.

'I mean... I've said you look pretty loads of times and you don't get high rate about that?' Stephen tried his best to defend himself.

'But it's not the same...Right?' Indie asked.

He didn't reply, instead he just turned his head. What he said to the two girls was the same but different at the same time. He felt so confused.

Allison arrived and they both got in the car without saying a word to one another.

* * *

The swimming pool :

Nick and Claudia were talking to a Police Inspector as they all walked along the side of the pool. Nick tried to persuade the officer that Diane wasn't a murderer and was in fact innocent.

Connor, Abby and Indie sat at the edge of the pool, Connor took off his shoes and socks and dipped his feet in the water. Stephen, joined them.

'With all this chlorine in the pool, I'm surprised the creature came through. To a reptile it would have been like swimming in a bucket of acid.' Connor acknowledged.

'Yeah. It probably sensed the danger and got out fast before the anomaly closed.' Stephen replied whilst putting a pair of flippers on.

Abby got up and walked away carrying a sample case of the water. Indie watched her sympathetically before getting up and joining her. Stephen looked at the girls confused, he didn't think that telling Abby she 'looked nice' would cause so much upset. He also didn't understand Indie, they'd been so close and now over the last few day it seemed she was avoiding him and that was before the whole Abby thing...

' So, how's Allison?' Connor asked to try to settle the awkwardness of the moment.

'Jet-lagged.' He replied bluntly.

'You see, it's funny, because you always gave the impression like you were single.' Connor stated curiously.

'That's funny, I didn't think I was giving any impression whatsoever.' He sighed. He now wished he did make it more obvious that he wasn't single.

'You'd be surprised.' Connor muttered.

'Connor, I'm flattered, but you're really not my type.' Stephen then dived into the pool to escape any more conversation on the topic.

* * *

reservoir:  
A small harbour has a pier and a few boats moored up. Lots of people were around, walking along the waterfront, sailing, canoeing, visiting a café etc.

The mosasaur swam through the murky waters of the reservoir before regurgitating up its most recent meal. A large lump of meat floated up to the surface in front of a set of people sailing. A woman screamed and panic spread.

* * *

Home office:  
Lester is sitting at his desk. Claudia and Nick are standing in front of him. Claudia has a set of photos. She gives them to Lester.

'Well, the DNA is conclusive. It's the boy from the swimming pool. Or what's left of him.' Claudia confirmed.

' It's a bolus. A regurgitated mass of flesh and bone. The beast swallowed him whole and then vomited up what it couldn't digest.' Nick explained.

Claudia pulled a face of disgust. Did he really have to go into so much detail with it?

' And what kind of creature could have done this to him?' Lester questioned.

' What you should be asking yourself, is how the remains of a boy who was attacked in a swimming pool, end up 20 miles away in a reservoir.' Nick stated

'Maybe there never was an anomaly. Maybe the girl murdered her boyfriend in the swimming pool and dumped his body in the reservoir.' Lester suggested with out much thinking of the idea.

' It's very likely, provided you also believe she swallowed him whole and then drove 20 miles down the motorway to regurgitate his remains.' Nick said sarcastically.  
Lester rolled his eyes. 'All right, then you explain it.' He sighed.

'We know it was the same beast in the pool and the reservoir. Perhaps the anomaly has a fixed point of origin in the past, yet somehow it remains fluid in our time. They don't just open, they move.' Nick explained.

'Okay, now what?' Claudia asked.

'I'll phone Stephen and get him to bring the others down to the reservoir and we'll meet them there.' Nick replied.

* * *

Reservoir:

Nick and some soldiers arrived at the pier. Claudia and Captain Ryan and his men are already there, along with Connor and Indie; who is marking water levels and Abby and Stephen; who are testing water samples.

'I feel sorry for Abby, you know...' Connor said sympathetically. As he stuck the stick into the water and took a measurement.

'Yeah...' Indie agreed as she done the same.

'I can't believed he asked her out whilst already being with someone and that's not to mention how he then forgot about ever asking her anything?' Connor stated. Even though he really liked Abby he really didn't like how Stephen was treating her.

'What?!' Indie exclaimed in shock as she dropped her stick.

'Oh, you didn't hear?' Connor asked unsure as he picked the stick up for her.

'No!' Indie said in shock.

'Ohhhh' Connor muttered under his breath.

'You know, I didn't think he was like that up until today...and to think I actually liked-' She stopped herself before she revealed her little secret.

'You liked him as well?' Connor raised his eyebrow as he asked, revealing her secret .

'No! Well maybe...a little bit, just don't say anything to anyone because I've changed my mind about him and I don't anymore...' She admitted after trying to cover herself up.

Connor nodded at her. He felt blessed that she trusted him enough to admit it.

* * *

'Professor! Professor!' Connor called out.  
Nick rushed around to the other side of the pier to where Connor and Indie were poking a stick into the water. The stick has a piece of red tape around it part way up. The water doesn't reach it.  
' You're really going to want to see this. The reservoir's land locked, right?' Connor asked to double check.

'Yes.' Nick replied

'So, allowing for condensation and rainfall, the depth should be pretty consistent?' Indie asked.

'Yes.' Nick answered.

'Well, we made this mark at water level earlier...' Connor showed Nick the tape, then puts the stick back in the water.

'The water level's fallen 40 centimetres since then.' Connor confirmed

Stephen ran up to them.

'This isn't a reservoir any more, it's a tidal lake. The water's literally pouring out of it.' Connor announced.

'It must be flowing out through the anomaly.' Nick said.

The three men and Indie turn and stare out across the reservoir.

'Which means it's still down there somewhere.' Indie stated.

* * *

Reservoir:  
Soldiers ran around making preparations. Nick and Stephen got in their wet suits along with a couple of other guys; they got into the inflatable boats to go out further into the reservoir.  
Nick and Stephen left in the boat as Claudia and Ryan watch from the pier.

Connor and Abby watch Nick and Stephen leave, and then walk along a small beach by the pier. Abby is carrying a sample case.

'Why does Stephen get all the fun stuff to do whilst we get stuck collecting water samples?' Connor whined.

'He looks better in a wetsuit.' Abby moaned.

Indie secretly agreed with her no matter how much she didn't want to.

'That's debateable. I could do the action stuff too as well, you know. I'm not just a massive intellect.' Connor boasted.

The girls just looked at each other and laughed.

'He doesn't remember a thing, you know, Stephen.' Connor reminded them.

'That's not the point. He knew what he was doing when he asked me out. He knew he had a girlfriend.' Abby replied.

'She's right.' Indie agreed.

'Yeah, and he'd also just been poisoned by a giant centipede. That might have affected his judgement just a little bit.' Connor said almost backing Stephen up, forgetting about how much he, himself, liked Abby.

'Are you sticking up for him Connor?' Indie asked looking disappointed.

Connor then remembered about how much he liked Abby and sticking up for Stephen would only make her dislike him.

'What am I saying? You know, you're right. He's a two-timing weasel, and maybe you should put that down to experience and move on. You know, there's plenty more fish in the sea.' Connor saved himself from two rather unhappy girls at that point.

* * *

The mosasaur is still swimming down in the reservoir. Nick and Stephen are also down there.

* * *

Connor, Indie and Abby were waist deep in the reservoir, collecting small samples of the water. They were spread out from each other, when something frightened a pair of swans that were swimming nearby and they then flew off. Connor watched them suspiciously, then he sees something else.  
'Abby? Um, what's that?' He called out to her.

Indie looked around and her eyes widened as it swam nearer to Abby.  
The creature surfaced a few meters away from Abby and it started to swim towards them.

The mosasaur started circling Abby, round and round before going back under the depths of the murky water again.

Connor and Abby stayed frozen in the same position. Indie shifted ever so slightly.

' Don't move!' Abby called out to her in a whisper.

The mosasaur could not be seen by the three of them. Each one of them inspecting the water surrounding them.

'Go!' Connor shouted. The mosasaur quickly reappeared not to far away at the sound of Connors shout.

The mosasaur started to swim towards them at quicker pace.

'Quickly Abby! Indie!' Connor hurried as he saw the two girls struggling to get out of the waist deep water.

They both reached the edge of the water and clambered up the slight embankment.  
'Jump! You okay?' Connor asked as they reached onto the grassy bank.

The mosasaur leapt out of the water and tried to grab each of them, but its flippers wouldn't allow it to scramble up the bank. Connor, Indie and Abby moved from side to side, trying to dodge it's huge snapping jaw, as they stayed pressed against the metal railings. Connor pushed the girls out of the way.

'Move now! No back!' Connor demanded.

He raced forwards to grab an oar from one of the boats left moored up on the bank. He lunged forwards and attempted to hit the mosasaur in the face with it.

' Connor, be careful!' Abby warned.

Indie closed her eyes and put her hands over her ears as she pressed herself into the fence as much as she could. Neither of the girls had really ever seen Connor so serious about anything before and for him to being taking charge of this situation worried them... a lot!

Connor hit the mosasaur over the nose a couple of times before the oar broke in two and got lodged in the roof of the mosasaur's mouth. The creature shook the oar loose and turned away, diving back into the water.

The mosasaur swam towards Nick, shaking it's head and roaring, leaving a trail of red blood behind. It swam past Nick, completely oblivious to him, and disappeared through the anomaly. The anomaly closed straight after.

* * *

Reservoir:

Connor spoke to Nick about what happened and done his best to describe the creature that attempted to attack them.  
'Some kind of mosasaur, maybe six or seven meters. Cretaceous, at a guess.' He explained.

Abby and Indie were being checked over by one of Ryan's medics, both sat wrapped in blankets and towels.

'Scary. And at that size, it couldn't have been fully grown.' Nick stated and he tried to sound sympathetic to what had happened.

'Yeah.' Connor puffed.

'Which is just as well for you.' Nick smiled as he patted Connor on the back.

Claudia approaches. They turned to face a group of Ryan's men who were standing a few meters away with Ryan and Stephen.

* * *

Abby approaches Connor and grabs his hand.

'You saved my life.' Abby smiled gratefully at him.

'I did, didn't I?' Connor beamed, proud of himself.

They hugged to accept the 'thank you's'.

Indie was stood not to far away from Abby. She waited till Abby walked of before going over to thank Connor.

'Cheers Con. Who would have thought you would have been our knight in shining armour!' She giggle as she pulled him into a hug.

'Well you know me, full of surprises.' He answered.

They both laughed.

* * *

family home:  
The two young children ran outside to play; their mother followed them.

'Okay, guys. Ten minutes before school.' She shouted out to them before taking a basket of dirty washing down into the cellar picking up dirty clothes along the way.

She placed the washing into a washing machine and turned it on. The water started to creep across the floor from the other side of the room but she didn't notice. The woman went back up stairs to pick up her kids' school bags. She turned around to notice the footprints of water she left behind her. She rushed back into the cellar to discover the floor covered in water. She ran back upstairs as a plug socket blew.

* * *

University Cafeteria:  
Connor sat in the cafeteria, working on his laptop. His college friends Tom and Duncan joined him. Duncan sat down on the opposite side of the table to him whilst Tom remained standing and questioned what Connor was doing. Connor closed his laptop shut and gathered his stuff before rushing off. Tom and Duncan remained in the cafeteria discussing what Connor could be up to between them.

* * *

Home office:  
Stephen walked through the building. He noticed a screen with a collection of pictures of the room where he was attacked. He had a couple of flashbacks and one of Helen. Indie approached him and noticed his face drop. She was still quite angry at him but she felt the need to ask him if everything was alright.

'You okay?' She asked looking concerned.

Indie startled him a bit. He didn't hear her come up behind him.

'Um...yeah, I'm good.' He replied before walking off.

He walked down a flight of stairs leant on the stair rail. Indie stayed at the top of the first flight of stairs and looked down at him. Nick past Indie and went down the stairs and patted Stephen on the back as he passed.

'Come on, let's go.' He smiled to him.

'...and you Ind.' he shouted up the stairs.

'Coming.' She replied as she went down the stairs to join them both.

Nick stops when Stephen doesn't start to move. Nick looked at him confused. Stephen gave Indie an uncomfortable look.

'What?' Indie asked nervously.

'Indie go and wait for me by the car.' Nick demanded.

Indie looked between them both unsure before carrying on down the next flight of stairs.

* * *

Family home:  
The woman showed the plumber down the stairs into the cellar.  
The plumber waded into the water; it went up to his waist. The woman remained on the stairs. He checked behind the washing machine.  
She went back up the stairs and the plumber took a look around. A hesperonis perched on a counter top. It snapped at the plumber as he walked past. The plumber stumbled back and fell over; he scrambled about in the water as the creature went and attacked.  
He managed to get to his feet and scramble up to the stairs. The woman rushed down.  
He started to go up the stairs but was back down under. The woman screamed.

* * *

family home:  
Claudia arrived at the house and Captain Ryan moved to greet her. He explained to her about the body belonging to the lost diver and how he had something tied around his wrist. She took the piece of cloth and read the initials.

Nick, Indie and Stephen stood in the cellar watching some soldiers poke around. Claudia joined them on the stairs.

'What kept you?' Nick asked as she approached them.

She gave him a look.

'What is it?' Indie asked curiously.

She shows Nick the handkerchief in a way so Indie couldn't see. Nick and Claudia walked back up the stairs and stood by the door leading to the garden, leaving Indie with Stephen.

* * *

'I wish someone would just tell me what's going on! I'm being shut out of everything! I'm not a kid anymore!' Indie exclaimed angrily.

' Trust me you're better off not knowing.' Stephen replied as he turned around and walked back up the stairs, leaving Indie by herself.

Indie let out an irritated huff.

* * *

Outside, Abby arrived and helped Stephen unload gear from the back of a jeep. He explained to her about how he remembers what he told her and how he meant it. Indie was listening in from the porch of the house. Feeling a bit disheartened she went back inside and waited on the stairs where she was left.  
Lester arrived in a posh car, with a police escort.

* * *

Family home:  
Lester, Ryan and Claudia stood in front of Nick, Stephen, Connor and Abby. They decided it was best if Indie wasn't there. Lester was not happy about not being told that Helen is alive. It was decided that Nick was to be sent through the anomaly to see if Helen is there and if she is to bring her back.

* * *

Nick got himself ready for the dive and finished of final preparations. Stephen and Indie stood with him, crouching on a wooden platform in the cellar.

' Okay, so you've got about an hour of air, and a mile of rope. Take a compass reference as soon as you get there, and just stay attached. After two hours, we'll reel you back in. The water pressure in the anomaly is going to be intense, okay? So the harder you swim, the more air you're going to use.' Stephen explained.

Indie holds up a harpoon gun and hands it over to Stephen.

'Now this has an effective range of about ten metres. If you have to use it against a predator, wait until you see the whites of its teeth.'

Stephen, Indie, Ryan and another soldier stood on the platform, watching as Nick dived in the water and through the anomaly. Stephen started playing out the rope. When he went through Indie turned to face Stephen. She gave him a look and raised an eyebrow.

'What?' He asked bluntly, trying to avoid her eye contact.

'Are you going to tell me what's going on? I have a strange feeling that I'm the only one who hasn't got a clue to what is going on?' Indie questioned.

Stephen chose to ignore her and focused on his rope, to which Indie turned to face Captain Ryan.

'How about you tell me what's going on? What's being hidden from me?' Indie asked frustrated.

Captain Ryan shrugged his shoulders and looked at Stephen.

'Oh for goodness sake! Someone tell me or I'm going through that anomaly and finding out for myself!' She shouted.

Stephen gulped and sighed then looked at Indie.

'Alright' He sighed before carrying on. 'Your Mum. She has been leaving subtle messages for your Dad to come and find her and apparently she's on the other side of the anomaly...'

'W-what? You-you mean she's alive?' Indie stuttered.

Stephen nodded.

'Why wasn't I told? Surely I should have been one of the first to know? Why didn't you tell me?' She shrieked.

' We didn't know how you were going to react, we were going to tell you eventually... just somewhere a bit more private.' Stephen explained.

Indie looked at him and shook her head before jumping into the water.

'Get out of there Ind!' He warned.

'I'm going to see my Mum...' She replied.

Stephen handed the rope to Captain Ryan before getting onto his knees, leaning over and grabbing her by the waist. To which Indie went into hysterics.

'I want to see my Mum! I haven't seen her for almost 6 years! I need to see her!' She sobbed as she tried to struggle away from his grip.

He managed to pull her up onto the platform and he pulled her into a hug and held her close. She stopped struggling. He felt sorry for her, he could only imagine how she felt and what she had been through.

Stephen let go of Indie.

'I'm just going to check if everything is okay with Abby and Connor.' He said as he stood up.

Indie nodded and looked into the water and stared at her reflection. He left the cellar and went up the stairs to join Connor and Abby.

* * *

After a short while Stephen rejoined Indie and the Captain back in the cellar.

'Everything okay?' Indie asked as Stephen moved off the stairs onto the platform.

'Yeah, everything's good.' He replied as he looked into the water, trying to work out why there were a load of men in wetsuits with Claudia.

Abby's voice came over the radio.

'Stephen, that's two hours. He'll be running out of air.' She stated.

'Alright, we'll pull him back in.' Stephen replied before putting the radio back onto the platform.

The three of them started to pull Nick through the water and through the anomaly. Claudia joined them.

'Come on, come on. He's lost his tank.' Stephen pointed out as he came through.

'Quick, get him out.' Claudia panicked.

Indie saw him float to the surface. Limp and lifeless. She panicked and put her hands over her eyes.

Stephen and Ryan jumped into the water and dragged him out.  
'Cutter!' Stephen shouted at him hoping that he would gain conciousness.

'Get his head up.' demanded.

'He's not breathing. Is he?' Indie asked.

Stephen looked at her seeing the worry on her face. Her Dad was all she had at that moment, without him she had nowhere to go and no one to guide her, back on her own. Again. Stephen turned his focus back onto Nick.

They laid Nick out on the platform and Claudia started to perform CPR.

He started to cough up water, and his eyes opened. Indie let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

Stephen and Ryan supported him on either side and took him up the stairs, Indie and Claudia followed along behind. A stretcher was brought to the top of the stairs and Nick was put on it.

'Was Helen with you?' Claudia asked.

'Yes.' Nick replied bluntly.

'So she was there.' Claudia said surprised

'You know what to do.' She smiled looking at Captain Ryan.

'Let's go.' Ryan called out to the men in wetsuits.

Ryan ventured back downstairs, followed by men in wetsuits.

Indie looked at Stephen who then shrugged as he shook his head.

'Who's this?' Stephen asked confused.

'Sorry, it's out of my hands.' Claudia replied

'What?' Indie questioned.

Claudia left the house ignoring Indie, leaving them both standing in the hallway.

* * *

It wasn't long before Lester came down the hallway with and two of his men, between them was Helen. Her hands behind her back and her face was like thunder.

'Mum!' Indie called out beaming a smile.

Indie wasn't acknowledged by her. The five of them just pushed past her and Stephen. They both looked at each other concerned before following Lester, Helen and the others outside.

* * *

Helen shot an accusing glare at Nick, who was sat in an ambulance with guns pointing at him. Nick looked shocked and looked towards to Indie who cocked her head at him. Connor and Abby looked nervous as the guns pointed at them, a soldier held Stephen back at the house, whilst another grabbed Indies arm. Indie tried to fight off the soldier, which only resulted to him tightening his grip.

'Get off of me!' She shouted.

The soldiers forced Helen into a car. Lester also got into a car with Claudia. They drove away with their police escort.

As they drove off the soldiers lowered their weapons and released everyone that was being held.

Stephen walked over to see Indie as he spotted the red marks left on her arms by the soldier.

Nick looked up. He looked to Abby and Connor to make sure they were fine and then focused on Indie, also noticing the red marks.

'Stephen, you take Indie. I think there's a few things I need to sort out.' Nick called out.

* * *

Characters.

Nick Cutter

Stephen Hart

Indie Cutter

Abby Maitland

Connor Temple

Claudia Brown

James Lester

Captain Ryan

Helen Cutter

The mother

Diane Johnston

Anthony

The plumber


	6. Some one to talk to

_Sort of carrying on from the last chapter but I thought I'd separate it._

**At Stephen's.**

The door flew open and Indie came in followed by Stephen and collapsed onto the couch. Indie removed her coat and placed it on the arm of the couch. Leaving her with a white vest top and scarf on. Her jeans would have been pale blue but were now splattered with mud stains.

'What a day.' Indie muttered under her breath as she sighed.

Stephen raised his eyebrows in agreement.

'I still can't believe she's still alive! I can't wait to talk to her again. We can finally be a family again and everything can go back to being normal.' She smiled.

Stephen smiled back although, he couldn't help but think that something wasn't right.

*She left her whole family behind and let them believe she was dead. She purposely left her daughter alone in a world full of danger and never returned.* He thought to himself. He couldn't tell Indie this though, how could he, it would break her heart.

'Are we alright then?' He asked changing the subject.

Indie gave him a cheeky smile.

'Hmmm...I guess so.' She smiled.

They both laughed.

'Abby told me about Allison.' Indie said running her fingers through her long hair.

Stephen looked to the floor slightly.

'Um yeah, it just wasn't working out, people change over two years and well, both of us changed a lot in that two years, it's a long time. We just didn't feel the same about each other anymore.' He explained.

'It's understandable...' Indie replied with an innocent smile.

'So how are things with you?' Stephen changed topic again.

'Dad has made me go to this special college thing so I can learn to read and write properly. It's really boring so when I'm not working with you guys, I'm stuck there. I've made a few friends there so I suppose it isn't that bad.' She explained

' You haven't told anyone about where you came from, have you?' Stephen asked looking slightly worried.

'No, none of us are allowed to share our stories. It's all confidential by the Government.' She explained with a smile on her face.

Stephen laughed at her and turned his head away from her.

'What?' She asked smiling.

'Nothing.' He replied shaking his head, still smiling.

Indie raised her eyebrow.

'You're so strange.' She giggled.

'Me?' He joked.

'Yeah, you.' She laughed as she nudged his shoulder. To which he shoved her of the couch and onto the floor.

They both laughed. They both felt comfortable in each others company, even though they had argued most of the last few days, they became even closer after and acted as if nothing had happened. They carried on joking about for a few minutes.

'So what we eating then?' Indie asked.

'Take away?' Stephen suggested

'Sounds good to me! Regular chips for me with salt and vinegar.' Indie smiled as she agreed.

'You're coming with me.' Stephen said as he stood up and grabbed his car keys.

'Of course.' Indie answered heading towards the door.

They both left the house and drove off.

* * *

Characters:

Indie Cutter

Stephen Hart


	7. Such a Dodo

Council estate:  
A bunch of kids played football near of a block of flats. They were being rather loud. A woman, Mrs Davis, leant over the railing a few floors above them.  
' Oi! You lot! Pack it in!' She shouted down at them.  
The kids laughed and carried on playing football as Mrs Davis went back into her flat. Her young son played in the bath. He turned around as the lid of the toilet started to lift slightly. A hissing noise is came from it.

* * *

In Stephens car:

' Thanks for letting me stay last night.' Indie thanked as she hopped into the passenger side.

'No problem, although it isn't until at night you realise how un-comfy the couch is...' Stephen replied.

'I'm sure you've had to put up with worse.' Indie giggled.

Stephen smirked.

'So where have we got to go?' Indie asked as they pulled off.

'Some council estate, apparently there is something in the toilet?' He replied.

'Then why don't they flush it?' Indie joked.

Stephen laughed. Although it took a while, he finally realised that funny feeling he had for her but he wasn't sure how everyone would take it if he made it apparent.

* * *

Council estate:

and his men arrived at the flats in the back of a van. They all jumped out, fully geared and ran into the building. The kids who were playing stopped and surrendered to them, with their hands raised above there heads. Nick, Stephen, Indie and Connor arrived and also entered the building. Stephen kicked the football that the kids had continued to playing with, hitting it into a sign that read 'No Ball Games'.

'Fluke.' Connor called out.

' Jealous.' He replied.

'You're such a show off.' Indie said pushing Stephen forwards.

He looked ahead and smirked whilst continuing to walk.

* * *

Inside the flat, Nick got himself prepared to open the bathroom door, Indie stood closely behind with her fists clenched. Ryan and a few of the other soldiers had their guns aimed and ready, and Mrs Davis was stood nervously behind them.

'I didn't expect the SAS?' Mrs Davis questioned.

'The town council takes pest control very seriously, Mrs Davis. Are you ready?' Nick replied.

The door was opened up and Ryan and one of his men walked cautiously into the room, closely followed by Nick and Stephen. Connor, Indie and Mrs Davis move into the doorway.

'Relax, everyone. It's only a python.' Nick confirmed, feeling relived.

Mrs Davis let out an ear piercing scream.

'Only a python? What the hell were you expecting?' She exclaimed

Indie and Connor looked at each other.

'Ow.' They both said rubbing their ears.

* * *

Council estate:  
Nick walked down the stairs in the apartment block. His phone vibrated. It was Claudia. She told him how he needed to get back to home office to talk to Helen.

'Ind!' He called up the stairs.

'Yeah?' She replied.

'Tell the others that I have to go back to HQ. See you later.' He called out to her.

* * *

Council estate:

Connor sat on the toilet seat with his laptop. Stephen stood frozen in the middle of the bathroom holding the snake, trying to put it in a sack. Abby stood front of him, trying to hold back from giggling. Indie sat on the edge of the bath laughing at Stephens face.

'Don't worry, this one's just a baby. Fully grown they can get up to 20 feet long.' Connor smiled.

' That makes me feel so much better.' Stephen sarcastically replied.

'Awww' Indie giggled sarcastically.

'Are you okay?' Abby asked Stephen, still trying to keep a straight face.

'Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I love snakes.' He lied.

The snake hissed and Stephen passed it over to Abby.

'We're going to need a bigger sack.' He stated before making a quick escape

'Stephen!' Indie called out before following him.

* * *

Stephen and Indie returned back with a bigger sack.  
'How's this?' He asked

'That's good.' Abby replied

They both put the snake in the sack.

'Right, I'll see you in a minute.' Abby smiled.

'Where are you going?' Stephen asked.

'Tea break.' Abby replied happily.

'Ooh, might join you on that one.' Indie said cheerfully  
Abby and Indie left the room, Connor and Stephen share a look.

'I like Indie- in a friend way. She's always so happy and makes others seem happy.' Connor said as he watched her walk off with Abby.

'What do you mean?' Stephen asked.

'Well, like you...for example. You seem more playful and less serious around her.' Connor explained.

'I don't know what your on about.' Stephen muttered as he also looked out through the door way.

* * *

Football stadium:  
A number of jeeps pulled up outside the stadium. Inside, Helen walks onto the pitch, closely followed by and two of his men, Nick and Claudia. They glance around.  
'Here?' Claudia asked.

' Do exactly as I say and this doesn't have to be a disaster.' Helen demanded.

* * *

They walked to the kitchens of the stadium, Ryan and his men checked the room out. Helen stopped in front of the kitchen's metal fridges. Abby, Indie, Connor and Stephen have joined the group by now, along with a few more soldiers.

'Mum!' Indie beamed as she spotted Helen.

Helen turned around to see her and smiled back.

'Hello sweetie.' She smiled.

Indie went to move forwards towards her but Stephen pulled her back. Helen and Stephen exchanged a look.

'In there?' Claudia asked, making Helen focus back on task.

'Yup. In there.' She replied.

'Connor?' Claudia called

Connor turned from where he had stood with Stephen and Indie, he looked nervous. Nick gave him a slight nod. Connor approached the fridge and holds out his compass as Helen and Claudia give each other untrusting looks. The compass worked as it normally would.

'There's no trace of a magnetic field.' Connor stated

'The doors are too thick, it can't penetrate the metal.' Helen butted in.

' Is that true?' Claudia questioned turning towards Nick.

'Possible.' Nick confirmed

Claudia went over to unlock the fridge as Ryan shuffled closer to Helen, gun ready in hand.

' Hey! What if the cats have already come through. They could be right behind that door.' Helen warned.

Claudia rolled her eyes and turned around to Nick. 'You know what, she's really starting to get on my nerves.'

Indie let out a quite giggle.

' I can understand that.' Nick replied to her bluntly.

Claudia turned her attention back to Helen. 'You're bluffing.'

'Try me.' Helen replied with a hard face.

'Stephen.' Helen called out.

Stephen walked over to the fridge, it was locked up with a padlocked chain. Helen handed him a small knife from her belt. He sliced open the lock and handed the knife back. The soldiers got into place and prepare their aim as Ryan and Stephen opened the fridge doors. Everyone tensed. The anomaly was there, shining bright as always, and it's magnetic field started pulling cutlery across the room.

'Get down!' yelled out.

Indie threw her self to the floor using her hands as a shield over her head.  
Everyone ducked as more items were pulled into the anomaly.

'You know, you'd make a terrible poker player.' Helen said looking at Claudia whilst she got back to her feet.

She and Claudia share another look.

Indie ran over to Helen and hugged her. Helen stroked Indie's long, hair that had been straightened that day.

'I've missed you Mum, I thought I would never see you again.' Indie smiled as a tear of happiness ran down her cheek.

'Sweetie, I've missed you too.' Helen replied as she let go of Indie.

Claudia looked at Helen and shook her head in disbelief. *Am I the only one who can see that Helen is one big lie?* She thought to herself.

Connor steals a pie from the fridge.

'Anybody hungry?' Connor asked before stuffing a piece of the pie into his mouth

'Oh my God. We've got to get rid of them. The meat will act like bait.' Helen shouted in a fake panic.

Indie sat at the back of the kitchen and watched as everyone rushed around moving the pies.

As Nick passed a trolley of pies to Stephen, Helen runs past him and dives into the anomaly.

Indie immediately jumped up and ran after her, through the anomaly.

'Get her back!' Claudia shouted as both Indie and Helen ran through.

'Helen! Indie!' Nick shouted out as he attempted to follow but was grabbed by two soldiers.

He looks at Stephen, who then also took off into the anomaly.

* * *

Through the anomaly:  
Stephen walked down a small hill. Indie was stood staring at the landscape. It was extraordinary. Anomalies filled the open grassland that went on for miles. Stephen approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

'Sh-she's gone, again. Why did she go?' Indie choked.

'I don't know.' Stephen replied.

As they turned around spins and points his gun at him. Stephen put up his hands and lowered his gun. Thunder rumbled around them.

* * *

Football stadium:  
Claudia, Nick, Indie, Stephen, Abby and Connor stared at the laptop, it was showing the other side of the anomaly.

'It's incredible.' Nick gasped as he stared deeply into the screen.

'It's the spaghetti junction of anomalies.' Connor added as he too stared into the screen.

'There's no way we could follow her. It would be like running into a Hall of Mirrors.' Stephen explained as he placed his hand on Indies shoulder.

' Let me guess, not one sabre-toothed cat in sight.' Claudia rolled her eyes.  
Both Indie and Stephen shook their heads.

Claudia turned her attention over to nick 'You tried to follow her.'

'To stop her. What possible reason could I have for wanting her to escape? I want answers more than anyone.' Nick replied.

A chirping came from the anomaly.

'Incoming.' shouted across the kitchen.

All the soldiers raised their guns and took aim at the anomaly. Squawking and squealing coming from the other side of the anomaly. The noises continued as a group of 6 Dodo's came running through. One ran into one of the soldiers legs sending him to the floor, and everyone else started to chase after them.  
'Round them up, everybody. Don't let them get out!' Nick ordered.  
The Dodo's were chased up and down kitchen aisles. Nobody noticed the dodo that ate Connor's Roswell key ring that was given to him by Tom and Duncan.

* * *

Tom's van:  
Tom and Duncan got out of the van, tracking device at the ready . They noticed that the 'bugged' Roswell key ring was on the way

* * *

Kitchen:  
Stephen managed to get a dodo under an upside down bin, Nick used his coat to herd another into a room, and the dodo that ate the key ring escaped unseen down a corridor.

'Woo hoo!' Connor whooped.

The bin with the dodo under it moved across the floor, and Stephen grabs it as Indie sat on top of it stopping it from moving.  
'They're great!' Nick laughed as he peered into the room full of Dodo's.

* * *

Tom's van:  
The boys watched the tracking device and noticed that Connor should be appearing. When they see the Dodo appear around the corner they are both confused. Realising that this was not Connor they then grab it and put it in the van.

* * *

kitchen:  
Nick sat on the floor, with the dodos around him. Abby, Indie and Connor stood in the doorway, looking amused, Claudia and Ryan were with them, looking less amused.

'Dodos.' Claudia said.

'Oh, they're so cute.' Abby awed.

'And so dumb.' Connor added

'Aww, I just want to take one home.' Indie cooed.

Stephen arrives and stands behind Indie, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Indie frowned as she thought. *He's been doing that a lot lately but no- surely not. He's just being friendly.* Indie thought to herself.

'Is that the lot?' Claudia asked.

'Yep, that's it.' Stephen confirmed.

'We better ship this lot back before we upset Darwin. Now everybody, um … grab a dodo.' Nick announced.

* * *

They herded the dodos through the anomaly. Abby helped Stephen with one.

Stephen looked around to Indie who was sat on one of the counters in a daydream. Abby noticed the fact he was acting different around her.

'So you and Indie?' Abby asked.

'What about us?' Stephen questioned back as he quickly turned to face Abby.

'You seem to be, um, rather close.' Abby answered curiously.

'We have a lot in common. She's a good friend.' Stephen replied bluntly.

Abby gave him a funny look.

Stephen quickly decided to change the topic around on her. 'I see Connor's moved in.'  
'Just until he finds a new place.' Abby replied quickly.

They both looked around to Connor who was tapping a ladle against his forehead, making explosion noises. He 'bonked' himself on the head with it, which made him stop.

' Just because me and Connor stripped down to our underwear, doesn't mean there is anything going on. ' Abby explained.

Stephen gave her a questioning look.

She cringed slightly as she realised what she just said.

'That didn't come out as I meant it.' She added quickly after.

' Professor, we have a dodo down.' called out  
The dodo laid on the floor, dead. Nick and Stephen crouch down to check it out. Indie snapped out of her daydream, got off the counter and joined the rest of them around the dead Dodo.

'Oh no.' Claudia sighed

' Oh, how did that happen?' Indie asked as she approached the bird.

'Maybe it ate one of the pies.' Connor joked earning him a dirty look from Nick.

'Sorry.' Connor apologized.

'Poor little guy. We should do an autopsy to find out how he died.' Nick suggested

'Could have been the shock.' Stephen added.

'Well we've both been through and we're alright.' Indie contradicted.

'As far as we know.' Stephen muttered.

'Cutter. The anomaly is fading.' Connor announced as his compass span.

* * *

  
Home office:

Abby, Stephen and Nick stood around the dead dodo, ready to do an autopsy. Indie walked in just after.

'I want to watch, you know all good experience.' She said with a convincing smile.

'Alright. Just don't touch anything.' Nick agreed.

He was about to make an incision into the Dodo when it jerked. The four of them jumped back.

'Whoa, whoa. It's … it's muscle spasm.' Stephen assumed.

'No. It's been dead for hours. Okay.' Nick corrected.

They approached the dodo again. As Nick went to cut again, the mouth of the dodo opened, and large, worm-like parasite fell out. Abby made a disgusted noise and screamed as it dropped to the floor and started wriggling towards her. Abby backed up to the wall.

'Stephen, grab that.' Nick ordered.

Stephen placed a glass jar over the top of the parasite, trapping it. They sighed in relief.

* * *

Lester joined them in the lab with the parasite, Nick examined the parasite whilst the others watched.

'It looks like some type of larva.' Stephen suggested

'No, it's an adult. It's some kind of giant cestoid. It's destroyed the internal organs and attacked the central nervous system.' Nick explained as he prodded it around a bit more.

' I thought the trick of being a good parasite was to live off the host creature without killing it.' Lester queried.

'No, this one doesn't compromise. It enters the blood stream as larvae, it feeds off the host, and then it moves up the body to lay its eggs.' Nick replied.

'Keeping itself alive just long enough to reproduce itself.' Stephen added

'And then mission accomplished, they both die together.' Nick carried on.

Indie made a disgusted face as she looked at the parasite.

' Isn't nature wonderful?' Lester said sarcastically.

* * *

Library:

Connor and Indie went off to the library to try and find a book on parasites.  
Duncan appeared around a bookshelf in a panic.

'You alright?' Connor asked as he approached.

Duncan explained what had happened with the Dodo.

'You did what?' Indie whispered shocked

'We just, sort of, took it.' Duncan replied sorrowful.

'How did you know?' Connor asked.

'Well, we followed you. It's some kind of mutant. It bit Tom. He's really sick.' Duncan answered.

Connor got his phone out and starts dialling. Indie looked at Duncan and shook her head disapprovingly.

'Well, you're both idiots.' Connor said angrily.

'No, you're not calling the police.' Duncan begged.

'It's way beyond them now.' Connor emphasized.

'I'm sorry.' Duncan pleaded.

'We'll sort it. Do it again and you'll be in more trouble than you can ever imagine.' Indie warned as she stared at him straight into his eyes.

* * *

Tom and Duncan's flat:

The Jeeps pulled up outside the flat. , his men, Claudia, Nick and Stephen got out.

As Connor and Indie arrived with Duncan , Nick, Ryan and Stephen were about enter the flat.

'Woah guys! I'm coming!' Indie called out as she ran up to them.

* * *

Inside:

'Tom! Tom, where are you mate?' called out.

'Where is he?' Claudia asked.

' No sign.' replied.

'I don't think he's here...' Indie said also replying to Claudia's question.

Nick, Indie, Stephen, Connor and Duncan moved into the bedroom after Claudia. Duncan and Connor stopped in the door way and glanced around the damaged room.

Nick, Indie and Stephen walked in the bedroom where the Dodo was shut in, they stood staring under the bed. Ryan entered behind them.

'You know those movies when you think the killer is finally dead and then all of a sudden they just jump up again? ' Stephen cautiously asked .

'Yeah, I hate those films.' Replied .

'Me too.' Stephen agreed.

'Trust me I've been in those situations back in the Jurassic... and you think watching them is bad.' Indie piped up still staring under the bed.

'After you.' Stephen hinted over to Nick.

Nick hesitated and took another look. Indie rolled her eyes and walked up to the bed.

'It's only a Dodo, oh my...' Indie sighed looking at her Dad.

She grabbed a pencil from the bed-side table and prodded the Dodo. Claudia, Connor and Duncan joined Stephen, Nick, Indie and Ryan in the room.

' It's dead.' Nick stated

'Yep.' Indie smiled

'Are you sure?' Claudia asked.

Nick went over and poked it, just to make sure.

' Pretty sure.' Nick replied.

Indie took a step back.

'And I'm meant to be the show off...' Stephen muttered to her.

'No, I'm just blatantly braver than you.' She tilted her head and gave a cheeky smile.

Nick lifted the bed up to reveal the entire Dodo.

' Alright, bag it up. But be careful.' Nick ordered.

'One minute it was friendly, and the next it just went crazy.' Duncan explained.

'The parasite changed the dodo's behavior to suit it's own purposes.' Nick explained.

'Which were?' Claudia asked curiously.

' To pass itself on. That's why it bit Tom, so it could incubate its eggs in the new host.' Stephen answered.  
'It's not safe to be around him. I'm sorry. But maybe if we'd got to him straight away, then he'd have stood a chance.' Nick announced.  
Nick and Stephen looked at Connor sympathetically, Connor looked at Duncan. Indie went over and hugged them both.

' But our parasite is light sensitive, so wherever Tom is, he's going to be trying to stay in the dark.' Nick continued.  
Nick left the room, as Stephen and Indie puts the dodo in the bag.

' Right, we need to get this back to the lab so Abby can prepare it for autopsy.' Stephen said to Indie.

'I'll stay with Abby, this Tom dude...um yeah...angry infected Dodo's are one thing, angry infected humans are another.' Indie explained.

* * *

Indie was dropped over to Abby whilst the rest went to a meeting with Lester. They then went to the hospital to try to find Tom. They spoke to the doctor who got bit by him.

* * *

Cutters office:  
Abby and Indie laid the dodo down. Abby set out tools in preparation for autopsy.

'Poor little thing.' Indie said as she stroked its feathers.

'Yeah, it's a shame.' Abby added.

A sheet of plastic was behind them. A blurred figure appears on the other side of the plastic. Indie sensed someone behind them and turned to Abby.

'Someone's in here.' Indie whispered to Abby.

Abby looked at her confused.

'I doubt there is, who would need to come in here apart from your Dad?' Abby asked also in a whisper.

'Trust me. I know how to sense these things. Someone is in here.' Indie replied.

Abby looked around before calling out. 'Hello? Can I help you?'

'They're after me. I need … I need proof. I need your help.' A voice spoke from behind the plastic'  
Abby pulled back the plastic. Tom stood there. His hood up and his sunglasses on. He looked pastey.

' Aren't you…' Indie started

'I'm … I'm Tom. Are they watching us now?' Tom continued.

'No-one's watching.' Abby cautiously replied.

Tom crossed the room, making the girls startle as he passed them. He turned off the light before removing his sunglasses and hood.

'So what's really going on with these things, huh? Hmm? Tell me!' He yelled as he stood behind the dodo.

Both of the girls backed away, Tom leant onto the table.

'I don't feel very well, okay?' He choked.

'Tom, just take it easy, yeah?' Abby suggested. She could feel her hands starting to shake.

Tom lowered his head to face the floor, when he lifted his head, his eyes are the electric shade of blue they were when he attacked Duncan and the doctor. When he spoke, his voice was different, it didn't sound human.

'What have you done to me?' He asked as his temper rose.

Abby and Indie ran around the table to move away from Tom.  
'Tom, look. We're not going to hurt you, okay? You've just got to really calm down.' Abby said nervously.  
'Am I going to die?' He asked.

A tear fell down Indies cheek. She felt sorry for him. She was scared of him but felt sorry.

'No. We won't let that happen.' Abby promised him  
Tom's eyes glowed blue again. He lunged at Abby and grabbed her.  
' Come here.' He growled  
'Get off! Get off!' Abby shrieked.

Indie stood panicking.

'Get off of her!' She screamed.

Tom went on to talk about how they are evil and how that once he is better he will go public use the Dodo to make them look bad. Abby tried to explain about the parasite but he doesn't believe her. He threw her to the floor. Indie screamed as he tried to bite her friend.

'No, wait! Okay! You want the truth? I'll tell you. The whole story. That's what you want isn't it? I can show you where this thing really came from.' Abby shouted as his mouth almost touched her skin.

* * *

Football stadium:  
Abby's Mini pulled up outside the stadium. The dodo was on the back seat along side Indie, Tom leant over and stroked it.

' Poor thing. You killed it.' Tom accused as he turned his focus to Abby.

'We didn't kill anything, Tom.' Abby corrected him.

'Don't lie to me again. Things don't just happen. It's all connected.' He said. His temper rising a bit.

' We're on your side, remember? You can trust us.' Abby replied. She looked at Tom then back to Indie who looked at her and gulped.

* * *

Nick's office:  
Nick, Stephen, Claudia, Connor and Duncan enter the office. Ryan is right behind them with his gun.

'The dodo's gone. He must have taken it.' Nick suggested.

'Indie and Abby are gone too.' Stephen ran his hand through his hair as he realized what might of happened.

'Indie? Indie was here? I thought you dropped her back to the house?' Nick panicked.

'No, she said she was going to stay with Abby so I dropped her here.' Stephen explained.

'Look, we can try the transmitter. We have to get to him fast.' Nick suggested.

* * *

Football stadium:  
Abby, Indie and Tom went into the stadium. They went into the kitchen and Abby opened the fridge where the anomaly was. The fridge is empty. No anomaly.

'This is where the anomaly was. I swear.' Abby panicked

'Honestly, it was in there you have to believe us, I promise we're not lying to you.' Indie promised

Tom shook his head and entered the fridge.

'We don't know why they come and go, but that's where the dodo came through.' Abby tried to persuade him.

' Do you think I'm stupid? It was a trap. It was a trap. They're coming here to kill me, aren't they. You told them.' Toms temper rose once again.

He lashed out towards Abby, she backed away and threw a trolley into him, knocking him to the floor, both girls panicked and ran. Tom got up, eyes glowing again, and sprinted after them, Abby turned and grabbed a bit of the ceiling. Indie kept running. Abby lifted herself up and kicked Tom in the chest, before running out of the room.

Indie ran into one of the changing rooms. She tried to ring Nick but he didn't pick up. She rang Stephen.

'Stephen, help. He's here and he's chasing us. I've lost Abby. Please help.' She sobbed down the phone.

'We're on our way.' He replied.

Abby ran into the same changing room.

'Quick get in the locker!' She said pushing Indie towards the lockers.

Both girls found a locker and crammed themselves inside.

' Where are you!' Tom shouted as he entered the changing room.

Abby jumped out of a locker and attacks Tom again, Indie attempted to run but Tom managed to get away from Abby and aimed for her this time. She ran out of the room and ended up in the stands around the pitch. Tom lunged at her, sending her falling to the ground. He fought her as he tried to sink his teeth into her skin. Abby ran out onto the pitch.

'No, don't do it, Tom! Get off of her! No. Tom!' Abby screamed as his teeth got closer to Indie's skin.

Indie laid using all her strength to push him off.

'Let me go.' She sternly said gritting her teeth.

Everyone else arrived, Ryan and his men pointed their weapons at Tom. Abby ran onto the stand and stood next to Nick.

'I've got a shot! I can take him out!' shouted out.

Connor ran forwards onto the pitch and put himself between Tom and the guns.

' No! Don't shoot him!' He begged

'Connor, what are you doing?' Claudia questioned

'Just, please, don't shoot him!' He pleaded again.

'Just get him off me!' Indie screeched out.

'Connor, get out of the way.' Stephen shouted as he saw Indie beneath Tom.

' All right, let him try. Let him try.' Nick agreed.

Connor turned around to where Tom had Indie pinned to the ground. Connor spoke to him gently and Tom relaxed his grip on Indie and she scrambled up to the stand and stood next to Stephen who then protectively put his arm around her shoulders.

' You too, Connor. Move away. He will kill you.' called out.

' No he won't. He's my friend.' Connor replied.

A tear ran down from Connor's eye as he approached Tom, he crouched down next to him.  
Connor carried on talking to him. Tom's eyes begin to glow again.

Indie tensed and held her breath as she saw his eyes change.

' Connor, back away!' ordered as he aimed his gun.

'Connor!' Abby called out.

'No!' Nick shouted as Tom fell into Connor's arms.

Connor grabs him and supports him.

' It's okay. You're okay.' Connor soothed.

Tom fell weaker into Connor.

'They tried to take me over, but I fought them, Con. I fought them.' Tom explained.

'You did a really good job.' Connor said quietly.

'Mmm. I'm a hero.' Tom gasped as his eyes started to flicker.

Connor nodded his head to agree. Tom's eyes finally closed, and slipped from Connor's arms as he died.  
Indie clinged to Stephen as he lowered his gun, and Nick walked down the steps to Connor.

* * *

'Are you sure he didn't bite you?' Stephen asked as he turned to face Indie.

Indie nodded. 'No, he didn't.'

She rested her head onto his shoulder.

'You always seem to be there when I get myself into trouble. Thank you.' Indie smiled looking up at him.

Stephen looked down at her and smiled. They caught each others gaze for a few seconds before Indie tensed, blinked and removed her head from his shoulder. She gave him a slightly awkward smile before going onto the pitch to meet her Dad and Connor.


	8. What's that in the sky?

St Sanity's College:

It was two days after the tragic incident of Tom. Indie was at her 'catch-up' college, daydreaming like usual. So many things running through her mind. Her mother, Tom, Stephen and the anomalies.

'Indie Cutter! Are you listening?' The tutor shouted across the class room.

She jumped and became focused.

'I'm sorry Miss Smith.' Indie apologized, picking up her pen and jotting some words down on her pad.

Miss Smith looked up at her. Just moving her eyes.

The bell went.

'Class dismissed for lunch. Except you.' Miss Smith announced whilst pointing at Indie.

Indie rolled her eyes and sighed as she went over to the tutors desk.

'Indie, you know how important this is. You really need to start focusing more. You're an intelligent young woman with potential but you're letting yourself down with your poor attention span. I've been looking through your note pad, it's just full of doodles of dinosaurs. Please Indie, if you want to carry on living a normal life you need to know the basics. To read, write, maths and a basic understanding of science.' Miss Smith explained.

'My science is fine.' Indie replied bluntly.

'Yes, but your literature is not. Please Indie I'm just asking you to focus. I can suggest for you to go to the library at lunch and have ago at reading a few pages of a book. It will help, I promise.' Miss Smith answered.

Indie sighed. 'Alright, I'll give it a go.'

She grabbed her rucksack and swung it over her back, opened the door and left the room.

* * *

Library of St Sanity's College:

The library was empty. Indie scanned the book shelf and picked up a book. She sat at a small table and attempted to read a line from it.

'On-Once up-on a time.' She attempted to read before sighing.

'Cinderella... classic fairy tale. Though I thought you would have picked up something a bit more...relative to your past or the past.' A voice neutrally said behind her.

Indie jumped and turned around. Helen.

'Mum?' Indie asked quietly.

Helen just smiled at her.

'You came back!' Indie beamed.

'Of course, all those years of being away from you, no way to find you. I had to come back and spend some time with you.' Helen replied.

Indie smiled.

'So what adventures have you been on?' She asked eagerly.

'Well meeting an Neanderthal was an experience and that's not to mention the amount of unrecorded creatures I have come across. It's truly unbelievable.' Helen answered with an expression of accomplishment in her voice.

' Anyway enough about me, what about you?' She added.

' Um, yeah things are good. Just been helping out with Dad really. It's nice to be back home.' Indie replied vaguely.

' You settled back in well then?' Helen asked.

'Yeah, of course people have helped. Connor and Abby have been good friends and helped and Stephen has been, well amazing to be honest.' Indie explained.

Helen raised her eyebrows when Indie mentioned Stephen.

'Well, it's been great to catch up.' Helen smiled as she went to turn away.

'Are you going again?' Indie asked sounding disappointed.

'Yeah, more adventures and times to explore.' Helen answered.

She saw the disappointment on Indie's face. It was just what she wanted. She looked at Indie and smiled.

'Of course there is always that option of you coming with me. Like the old times. Just you and me travelling through eternity.' Helen suggested with a sly looking smile.

Indie hesitated. She thought for a bit.

'Um, actually, I quite like it here. It's safe and I like the company. Sorry Mum'

Helen looked at her and forced a smile.

' Alright, suppose this is bye then. For a while anyway.' Helen finally said before walking out the room and once again miraculously disappearing.

* * *

Golf club:  
At the Forest Heights Country Club. Andy drove up to the top of a fairway on a golf buggy, and selected a club.  
'Tiger Woods, eat your heart out.' He shouted out as he swung at the ball, missing it.

His mate, Jeff had got stuck in a sand bank and sprayed sand everywhere.  
Andy swung a few more times before he actually hit the ball, sending it into a small pond. His mobile rang as he was about to dip his arm in.

'Jeff.' He said down the phone

' I got stuck on a bunker. Are you on the green yet?' Jeff asked.

Andy stared into the pond.

'Yeah. Easy.' He replied.

Jeff hung up. Andy dipped his arm down to the pond floor to try to retrieve his ball. He felt around until he found a ball, completely missing the other 2 balls, and the sheep skull that was submerged there. He chucked the ball over his shoulder onto the green.

* * *

Home office

Indie walked in the day after Helen visited.

'Ind, you alright?' Nick asked as he walked alongside his daughter.

'Yeah. I'm good.' She smiled.

'You just seem very subdued since you came back from college yesterday.' Nick pointed out as he tried to make eye contact with her. She hesitated.

'Dad, stop worrying. I'm just tired, that's all.' She smiled as she walked into the locker room.

* * *

Golf club:  
Andy is drove his buggy slowly down the green. Jeff walked quickly behind him, lugging his bag of clubs along with him.

'Jeff. I mean, you could have got your own buggy. You didn't have to be such a tightwad, did you?' Andy joked as he saw his friend struggling.

'Oh, come on. Give us a lift.' Jeff asked

' Come on, hurry up.' Andy answered, implying that he was willing to give him a lift.

Jeff went to put his bag on the buggy, but Andy drove away, laughing.

'You're joking.' Jeff called out after him.

Andy tee-ed off at the next green. He hit his ball into a tree line and went in after it.

'So where are you, you little git?' He mumbled to himself.

He looked through the fern trees, and winced as he scratched his hand on something sharp. He shook his hand and a blob of blood flew away and hits a tree.  
He walks out of the trees, inspecting his injured hand. He turns and looks towards where he has just walked from, when he sees something. Andy drops his golf club and starts to run. We see from the view of the creature chasing him, and it swoops down behind him. Andy glances over his shoulder.  
Jeff is playing nearby and stops as he hears Andy's screams as his is lifted into the air. Jeff runs towards where the screams are coming from, and finds Andy's body. All we see is a bloodstained shoe.

* * *

Manor house:  
An ambulance was parked outside. Claudia was inside talking to about the body and sealing the area off.

Claudia approached Nick and discussed about what the witness saw. Claudia became impatient and started throwing subtle threats. Indie was stood with Stephen talking to Jeff.

'Are you sure you saw nothing?' Stephen asked.

'No, like I said, I just heard screaming and then I ran over and his body was just there.' Jeff explained.

'Did you hear anything else that maybe came across a bit...strange?' Indie asked.

'No, why?' Jeff replied.

'No reason.' Indie smiled walking off towards her Dad.

* * *

'What's happening now?' Indie asked with her hand on her hip.

'Well, I have to go and look at the body with Claudia...' Nick explained.

'Eww, I'm going to pass on that one.' Indie cringed.

Nick laughed at his Daughters disgusted expression as he walked into the room where the body was being held.

She turned around and walked back over to Stephen.

A soldier exited the room that Nick entered and closed the door behind him.

'Ugh, decapitated bodies aren't my thing.' Indie winced as she walked over to Stephen.

'I think we're going to have to get used to it in this job.' Stephen replied.

'Anyway where's Abby and Connor?' He added.

'Oh, they'll be here in a minute, they're on their way.' Indie smiled.

Shortly after Nick and Claudia came out of the room. Claudia walked off where as Nick walked straight over to Indie and Stephen.

'Right, we need to go and search for the anomaly. What ever the creature is it's very powerful judging by the wounds on the body.' Nick explained.

'Great...' Indie sighed.

'Abby will meet us out on the green.' Nick continued.

* * *

Golf club:

Nick stood in the middle of a field. Stephen, Indie and Abby walked up to him.

'No trampled or broken vegetation. No track marks and no sign of any anomaly, but there is one hell of a magnetic field, so it's to be here somewhere. Unless there's a pylon causing interference.' Stephen explained.

' Can't see anything.' Abby said gazing around her.

'Me neither...' Indie added.

'Be quiet a minute and let me think here.' Nick ordered.

All four of them stood silent.

'Quiet!' Nick shouted out.

'We didn't say anything.' Abby corrected him looking confused

' No, I mean it's too quiet. Listen. There's no birdsong.' Nick continued

'They're scared off.' Stephen said as he looked around.

'What would scare the birds away? You were wrong, it's not a pylon. There is an anomaly.' Nick announced.

' Where?' Indie looked around confused.

'We're standing right underneath it.' Nick answered

All four of them looked up and gasped.

'It's an aerial predator.' Stephen stated

'Yeah, that's one way of putting it. Now how the hell do we cordon off the sky?' Nick wondered.

' Cutter.' He calmly said.

' I mean, this thing could be anywhere by now.' Nick carried on gabbling.

Abby and Indie joined Stephen, and they were all looking at the huge creature flying directly at them. Nick remained oblivious to its existance.

Abby and Indie threw themselves to the ground , and Stephen tackled Nick as the creature dived at them.

'Found it.' Indie smiled as she got to her feet.

* * *

Cutter watched the flying monster through a pair of binoculars. Indie was sat down on the hill looking up at the anomaly. Abby and Stephen stood by Nick.

'What is it?' Abby asked.

' Pterodactylidae pterosaur. It's probably a Pteranodon.' Nick answered.

'They had something similar to it where I used to be.' Indie added.

' Is it what killed the golfer?' Abby asked.

'I'd say it's definitely in the frame.' Stephen answered.

' Well, Pteranodon was supposed to have mainly eaten small reptiles and fish.' Nick confirmed.

'Probably just snacking until human's came along.' Stephen continued.

'Why's it circling?' Indie wondered out loud.

' Looking for a roost?' Stephen suggested.

'Well, it's spoilt for choice. Certainly looking for something.' Nick said still looking through his binoculars.  
Stephen noticed movement at the other end of the fairway.

' Is that Connor?' Stephen asked.

'What.' Nick sounded all of a sudden concerned.

'I'll ring him?' Indie suggested.

'No!' Nick answered sharply.

'What's he doing?' Abby thought out loud.

'He's not looking for a roost. He's looking for lunch.' Stephen announced.

Abby, Indie and Stephen started yelling across the green 'Connor! Connor!'

'Connor! Come here, quickly!' Nick shouted

Connor winced unaware of the creature above him.

Claudia, Ryan and two of Ryan's men hurried over to where Nick and the others were standing.

Connor turned and saw the Pteranodon diving towards him.

' Get into the trees!' Abby screamed out.

'Run you idiot!' Stephen called out.

The two of them started to run towards the trees.

They all continued to shout. went to shoot but Nick stopped him.

Just as the Pteranodon was about to reach them, Connor and Rex jumped down an incline and it missed and continued to fly off.

'Really wish you hadn't done that. God knows how many people you just condemned to death.' Claudia shrieked  
Nick ignored Claudia and continued to look through his binoculars to where Connor is lying.

'Wait a minute. There's a lizard with him.' Nick noticed.

'A lizard?' Claudia questioned

'Salurosorophus.' Nick replied putting down his binoculars and looking at Abby.

' Oh, he let Rex escape!' Abby cursed.

Everyone turned to look at Abby.

'You kept him?' Nick asked not looking to impressed.

'No. Yeah. Yes. He came back. I was just looking after him.' Abby admitted.

'Don't get angry with her. What else could of you done with him?' Indie stuck up for her.

'I'm sorry, guys.' Abby apologized.

* * *

Claudia continued to have ago at Nick and whilst they discuss what to do next. Nick agreed to let Abby keep Rex as long as she found him first. Abby walked into the woodland area with Connor to search for Rex.

* * *

Manor house:  
Nick, Indie and Stephen were talking to Claudia and Ryan about Pteranodon.

' Pteranodon hunted from high vantage points. Cliff tops, mountains, anywhere that gave it a good sight of potential prey.' Nick explained.

'We need to be looking at all the highest points within a couple of miles.' Stephen added.

Ryan got a message on his radio and pointed to the laptop.

'Real-time images are coming through now.' announced.

Stephen zoomed in on a satellite image, until the Pteranodon can be seen, resting on top of a building in the city.

'There it is.' Indie said pointing to the screen.

' Office building less than a mile away. Should be empty on a Saturday. Let's go!' hurried off.

'We've got to get there first.' Nick quietly said looking at Indie, Claudia and Stephen.

The four of them quickly hurried out and got into the truck.

* * *

Office building:  
Nick, Indie, Claudia and Stephen pull up outside the office building.

' We should wait for Ryan.' Claudia suggested  
Stephen pulled out a rather large gun. They headed inside the building.

Indie shot her Dad a look of _I have a plan_.

'It's okay, the Pteranodon doesn't know where he is, he's probably scared. Imagine if you were somewhere you didn't know and all of a sudden you were shot dead. It's not nice, is it?' Indie tried her best to make the creature sound innocent.

'You've got until Ryan gets here. One chance, one shot.' Claudia warned.

Nick and Stephen headed off down the corridor in front of Claudia. Indie walked along side her.

' Never thought she'd buy that.' Stephen muttered to Nick.

' No. Neither did I.' Nick muttered back.

The Pteranodon perched on the edge of the roof. Stephen aimed his gun, but the Pteranodon flew off before he could shoot.

' Damn it!' Nick cursed.

The Pteranodon circled the building.  
' Look. We're going to have to find a way to bring here back into range. You see the red crest on the top of her head? Red. That's it!' Nick exclaimed

' I need your shirt.' Nick said sharply to Claudia.

'What?' She replied with looking rather shocked.

'Your shirt.'

'Come on. It's magenta. It's nothing like red.' Claudia gasped .

Nick turned to Indie who was wearing a crimson vest top.

'Are you being serious.' Indie slammed her eyes.

Nick ran across the roof. She could see Stephen in the corner of her eye smirking to himself.

'Oh hang on a minute. Stephen, is that a bright red T-shirt under your white jumper?' She asked rhetorically.

Stephen turned around laughing and handed her the gun.

'You owe me.' He joked.

Indie gave him a sarcastic smile.

Nick grabbed a metal pole, as Ryan's men started to enter in the building. Nick tied the red shirt to the end of the pole. Stephen pulled his other shirt back on and Indie passed the gun back.

Nick whistled and manged to attract the pteranodon's attention, and started to wave the pole, as Stephen takes aim. Claudia backed away slowly as the creature flew nearer.

'Right. In your own time.' Nick said sarcastically  
His first shot missed.

'The wind took it.' He quickly mentioned afterwards.

'Yup. Try again. Quick as you like there, Stephen.' Nick said still being sarcastic.

The second shot also missed. The soldiers were making their way through the building.

'Shoot it!' Indie shouted as it flew closer and closer.

'Damn thing keeps moving.' Stephen replied.

'Yep. That's what they do.' Nick said sarcastically.

'This time. Come on, fellow.' Stephen mumbled to himself as he took aim.

'Stephen, shoot it. Stephen, for God's sake, will you shoot it?' Nick shouted as the creature flew even closer.

Claudia stepped back in panic. The Pteranodon was right on top of them before Stephen finally shoots, finally hitting it. The huge creature tumbled across the rooftop, backing Claudia further against the wall. Where it lies, unconscious.

Indie punched him in the arm out of frustration.

' You see that?' Nick shouted at Stephen.

'No need to shout... or be aggressive. What are we going to do with it?' Stephen calmly said looking at Nick and Indie, who were not looking impressed.

'Take it back to the anomaly site. Send it back.' Nick replied bluntly.

Claudia started gabbling on about how she's given Nick enough chances and how things are going to change before the Pteranodon tried to scramble back to it's feet but failing to do so, it's huge beak hit Claudia over the head, knocking her out.

'Whoops.' Nick scratched his head as the three of them looked down at the unconscious Claudia.

* * *

Nick and the medics took Claudia back to the manor house, whilst Indie and Stephen stayed behind with to remove the Pteranodon from the office roof back to the anomaly site. They managed to get the creature strapped,covered in large, plastic sheets on the back of a trailer.

* * *

In the car.

Stephen was driving, Indie was in the passenger side and was in the rear passenger side.

'I feel so bad about Claudia, I hope she's alright.' Indie worried as she fiddled with the radio.

'She'll be fine, might have knocked some sense into her.' Stephen smiled.

Indie raised her eyebrow at him.

'You're such an arse.' She told him.

Stephen laughed.

' You still owe me for earlier.' He joked.

'I owe you nowt.' She smiled at him innocently.

He looked at her and raised his eyebrow.

'Will you please watch the road!' called out from the back.

Stephen quickly put his focus back onto the road and just about managed to swerve out the way of a parked car.

* * *

Golf club:  
Stephen, Indie, and some soldier arrived back at the anomaly site with the Pteranodon, which is still wrapped in sheets and strapped to the back of a trailer.

'I wouldn't get too close if I were you. That thing could come around at any time.' warned as Indie lifted one of the sheets back to stroke her head.

'She's going to be out for hours yet.' Stephen replied as he went around to join Indie.

'She's beautiful.' Indie admired.

'She is.' Stephen agreed.

There's gurgling noise as the Pteranodon got rid of some waste.

'Oh, nice.' muttered, pulling a disgusted face.

'You have no idea how revealing dung can be. You can learn a lot from it. It's exciting stuff.' Stephen replied as he moved to the back of the creature.  
The soldiers made their disgust known as Stephen tasted the dung.

'That's just not right.' remarked.

'Yeah but he ain't right...' Indie joked.

nodded in agreement.

'Well, I can reveal some not so good news.' Stephen announced.

'What?' Indies face dropped.

'There's no human remains... just fish and reptiles. Meaning she didn't kill the golfer...' Stephen explained.

'Does that mean something else is out there?' Indie asked concerned.

'Unless it's gone back through...yes.' Stephen replied.

'Brilliant.' commented sarcastically.

'Hold fire. Let me phone Cutter.' Stephen grabbed his phone and started dialling.

Nick is still at the manor house with the now conscious Claudia discussing her temporary blindness.

'Nick?' He asked down the phone.

_'Stephen.'_He replied_.  
_  
' Listen, you know that hunch of yours? You were right. Old leather face didn't kill the golfer. The beak, it's all wrong. The dung is the clincher.'

_'Yeah, let me guess, no human remains.'_

'No, just a few small reptiles and some fish bones. That's it.'

_'Exactly what I though. It wasn't Connor it was after, it was Rex.'_

'Yeah.'

_'Stephen, listen, I'm going to have to call you back. My phone's out of juice.'_

'Okay.'

Stephen hung up the phone.

'What did he say?' Indie asked.

'Not a lot. His phone went dead.' Stephen replied.

'So what do we do?' asked.

Stephen thought for a moment.

'You and your men stay and look after big bird, me and Indie will start searching for what ever else is out there.'

'Okay.' replied.

Stephen loaded his gun, then set off towards the woods with Indie following closely behind.

* * *

Woods:

'Do you have any idea what we're looking for?' Indie asked.

'Not a clue.' Stephen replied.

'Great.' Indie sighed.

'So, what was up with you this morning?' Stephen asked curiously as he looked around at the tree tops.

Indie stopped. 'What do you mean?'

'You just didn't seem your self.' He answered.

'No. I'm fine.' She said sharply before walking off as her Mum came back into her mind.

'Ind.' He called out after her before rolling his eyes and following her.

When he finally caught up with her she was sat on a log. Tears running down her cheeks. Stephen sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

'Ind, what's up. Don't say nothing because otherwise you wouldn't be sat here in tears.'

'I can't say.' She replied trying not to look at him.

Stephen gently pushed her face so she was looking at him. He wiped the tears of her face and tucked her hair behind her ear, just like he'd done back when he bought her back through the anomaly where he found her. They caught each others gaze once again. This time Indie didn't panic but she felt herself flutter slightly. He leant over and kissed her gently on the lips. As he pulled away the panic grew over Indie. She quickly stood up and dusted herself off.

'Um, right, I suppose we should actually find this...thing.' Indie said awkwardly. She started walking away.

Stephen watched her confused. His phone vibrated. It was .

'Captain.'

_'You need to come back, me and my men need to go and sort something out.'_

'Sort what out?'

_'Don't worry, just get back, quickly.'_

'I'll be right there.'

Stephen hung up the phone and looked at Indie who was walking off in the wrong direction.

'Wrong way!' He called out after her.

* * *

Golf club:

Indie was perched on the edge of the trailer stroking the Pteranodon's head. Stephen walked over to her.

'My Dad's going to kill you if he finds out.' Indie said quietly.

Stephen rolled his eyes.

'I really don't know what your problem is? One minute you're fine and laughing and the next minute you go like this.' Stephen sighed.

'It just came as a bit of a shock... that's all.' Indie lied. She knew what she was doing but the thought of what her Mother told her many years back always managed to stop her.

' You didn't stop your self.' Stephen looked at her unconvinced.

Indie looked to the floor.

'You don't understand.' Indie muttered shaking her head.

'No, I don't because you won't tell me.' He replied.

Indie didn't say anything back.

'I care about you, I just don't know if you've realised.' Stephen continued.

Indie looked up and smiled ever so slightly.

'I have. I'm just being stupid.' She replied.

She stood up and hugged him. Stephen sighed and hugged her back.

'We won't mention anything to my Dad though... not yet.' Indie said with a smile.

* * *

Manor house:

Claudia was trapped in the manor with the small pterosaurs surrounding the building. Nick managed to reach an ambulance and called for back up. In the ambulance he found a canister of gas and a lighter. As he emerged from the ambulance a small pterosaur flew at him.

'You little sh..' He cursed as he burnt it into a crisp.

'Whoops. Light.' He chirped to himself as the fire burnt out.

As he re-lit the canister the house went up into a mass of flames.

He stared for a while trying to take in what just happened knowing Claudia was still inside. He jumped when she walked up behind him. She mentioned Helen and how she saved her but then disappeared into thin air.  
and his men arrived, running up behind them. had a double take at the still burning building, state Nick and Claudia are in, and Nick's gas canister.

' What? Yeah, it was me. It was me with a Zippo and a bottle of flammable gas.' Nick said sarcastically.

'Um, anyway. I've left Stephen and Indie with the dinosaur bird.' explained as he still stared at the burning manor.

'Right, we better get back just in case Stephen was wrong about it not eating humans. As I know Indie is one to get a little to close. She's probably sat right next to her beak aswell.' Nick sighed.

* * *

Woods:

Abby and Connor were still in the woods. Rex had now been found. Abby still wasn't pleased with Connor but they had made an agreement that would make up for it.

-  
Golf club:

Everyone had arrived at the anomaly site, with the Pteranodon.

'Guys, you'd better be quick. I don't think the anomaly's going to hold much longer.' Connor warned.

Claudia's phone rang. She checked who was, but decided not to answer.  
' Lester. What can I say? The battery was down and I just didn't get to the call in time.' She smiled as she turned to Nick.

'You saying Lester doesn't know about this?' Nick asked

'Wouldn't be happy if he did.' She replied

' I thought you weren't going to take sides.' Nick smiled

Stephen walked up to Nick and Claudia, carrying a big, red flag. He handed it over to Nick, he and Stephen went back to where Abby and Indie were looking after the Pteranodon that was laid on the trailer.

'It's okay, baby. You'll be home soon.' Abby soothed as she stroked its leathery face whilst it started to awake.

'So, you're absolutely confident that this creature doesn't eat mammals?' Nick asked to make sure.

' Dung never lies. And if I'm wrong about that, at least you'll always have a special place in the history books.' Stephen smiled

' I always wanted to be famous. Let's do it.' Nick laughed.

Connor, Stephen and Ryan released the ropes holding the Pteranodon down.

'All right, we're ready. Let her go!' Nick shouted down to the team.

The sheets are removed, and after a few moments, the Pteranodon started to get up. It flapped its wings a couple of times, and then flew off in the opposite direction to where Nick was waving his flag in front of the anomaly.

They all started shouting to try to get the creature to change its track. As the Pteranodon turned and started to fly towards them Stephen discreetly intertwined his fingers around Indies so they were holding hands. Indie looked up at him and smiled even though his concentration was fully on the Pteranodon.

' Okay, come on. Come on.' Nick shouted out.

' It's beautiful.' Claudia admired with a slight change of heart from earlier.

Everyone ducked as the Pteranodon swooped over them. It flew straight past Nick and into the anomaly, just before it closed. Everyone cheered, Stephen threw Connor's hat in victory before Indie jumped on him.

'Safe journey.' Nick muttered to himself as he stared to where the anomaly once floated.


	9. Secrets

Nick's house

Indie grabbed her bag that was left by the front door.

'Dad! I'm going out!' She called out.

Nick stood at the top of the stairs still in his dressing gown.

'It's half eight in the morning... where are you going?'

'I'm meeting up with Connor, Abby's been working a lot lately so I think he's feeling a bit lonely.' Indie smiled.

'Alright, just don't do anything stupid...' Nick warned.

'Stop worrying. Love you. See you later.' Indie chirped before heading out the door.

* * *

At Abby's flat.

Indie rang the bell several times.

'Connor! Open up!' She called.

After a few seconds he opened the door.

'Are you ready yet?' Indie asked.

'Nearly, come in.' He replied.

She walked in and looked around. She'd never been in the flat before. She admired the place. Connor rushed around as he tried to find a pair of clean socks.

'It's a nice place she has here.' Indie commented, still looking around.

'Yeah, it's not bad.' Connor replied as he slipped his feet into a pair of shoes.

'Right, we ready?' Indie asked as she stood up.

'Yep. Where we going?' Connor asked.

'Hmm, I thought we could go out for a bite to eat. Where do you want to go?'

'Ind, we haven't got a lot of choice. Neither of us can drive?' Connor pointed out.

'What's wrong with your legs? Come on.' She laughed as she dragged him out the door.

* * *

After about an hour of walking:

'Are you feeling just a tad out of breath?' Connor asked puffing.

'Nope.' Indie looked back and saw Connor puffing.

'Oh my, Connor.' She laughed. She walked back over to him and patted him on the back.

'That Café there looks nice.' Connor said pointing at the Café to the left of him.

Indie rolled her eyes and laughed. 'Alright then.'

Connor straightened his back and walked over to the tiny restaurant that was on the street corner.

* * *

In the Café:

Indie and Connor sat on a round table in the back corner of the room. The seat was more of a sofa that curved around the table. Shortly after they sat down a waiter approached them.

'Hello. Can I take your order?' The waiter asked.

'Can I have a Chicken mayo sandwich on white bread with a diet coke please.' Indie replied.

'And can I have a cheese and beans jacket potato with a milkshake...please.' Connor added shortly after.

The waiter jotted down their order and walked off.

'Connor?' Indie asked.

'Yeah?'

'Have you ever thought about having kids?' Indie asked curiously.

' Briefly... once or twice but I mean I can't even get a girlfriend so kids are out of the question until then.' Connor chuckled.

' I'd like maybe one or two. A little boy and a little girl.' Indie smiled.

'Yeah, I'd like a son and call him Connor Junior.' Connor laughed.

Indie giggled. Her phone vibrated. It was Stephen.

'Who's that?' Connor asked.

'Just Stephen.' She said stuffing the phone back into her pocket.

'Have we got to go?' Connor asked.

Indie went quiet.

'No,no.' She replied.

'What you hiding? You've gone all quiet.' Connor asked curiously.

'Nothing.' She said bluntly trying not to let any hints of what was going on between her and Stephen out.

When Indie wasn't looking, Connor quickly dove into her pocket and pulled out her mobile. Indie realised what he had done almost immediately and dived on him.

'Connor! Give it back!' She laughed nervously.

'Nah-ah-ah.' Connor chuckled as he opened the text.

Indie put her head in her arms as he read out the text.

Connor read it silently. _Hi babe, you coming over later? _It read.

Connor looked up in shock.

'So you and Stephen?' He asked.

Indie winced slightly.

'No way.' He laughed.

'Yeah, alright. Just don't say anything... to anyone.' She answered sharply.

Connor's mind went back to the conversation they were having before the text came through.

'You're not... you know?' He asked.

Indie snatched the phone from him. 'Of course not. I'm not stupid!' She snapped.

'So how long has it been going on for?' Connor asked.

'Only yesterday...' She replied.

The waiter then arrived out with their food.


End file.
